Method and system for automated medical records processing with cloud computing

ABSTRACT

A method and system for automated medical records processing with cloud computing The method and system includes plural electronic medical templates specifically designed such that they reduce the complexity and risk associated with collecting patient encounter information, creating a medical diagnosis and help generate the appropriate number and type medical codes for a specific type of medical practice when processed. The medical codes and other types of processed patient encounter information are displayed in real-time on electronic medical records and invoices immediately after a patient encounter via a cloud computing network.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This U.S. Utility patent application is a Continuation-In-Part (CIP) ofU.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 12/622,497, filed Nov. 20,2009, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,606,594, on Dec. 10, 2013, whichis a CIP of U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 10/692,976, filedon Oct. 24, 2003, that claims priority from U.S. Provisional patentapplication No. 60/422,083, filed on Oct. 29, 2002, which issued as U.S.Pat. No. 7,624,027, on Nov. 24, 2009, the contents of all of which areincorporated herein by reference.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Pursuant to 37 C.F.R. 1.71(e), applicants note that a portion of thisdisclosure contains material that is subject to and for which is claimedcopyright protection, such as, but not limited to, copies of paperforms, screen shots, user interfaces, electronic medical record formats,or any other aspects of this submission for which copyright protectionis or may be available in any jurisdiction. The copyright owner has noobjection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent documentor patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent Office patent file orrecords. All other rights are reserved, and all other reproduction,distribution, creation of derivative works based on the contents, publicdisplay, and public performance of the application or any part thereofare prohibited by applicable copyright law.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to medical records and information. Morespecifically, it relates to a method and system for automated medicalrecords processing with cloud computing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many different types of medical information that are routinelycollected when a patient has an emergency or non-emergency medicalproblem, or visit a provider for a routine visit or annual physical. Themedical information includes such information as current symptoms thepatient is feeling, any medication the patient is currently taking, anypast medical problems or surgeries the patient has, known allergies,family history, prescribed medications, etc.

Such medical information is typically recorded manually on paper formsby medical staff, nurses and/or providers. The medical information mayalso be dictated by a provider and later transcribed to another form bya medical transcriptionist.

The American Medical Association (“AMA”) has developed a system of codesfor medical and surgical procedures, diagnostic tests, laboratorystudies, and other provider medical services rendered to patients. Thissystem of codes is referred to as Current Procedural Terminology,(“CPT”) codes. CPT codes provide a uniform language that detailsmedical, surgical, and diagnostic services utilized by providers tocommunicate to third-party payors for the services that are rendered.

The CPT codes were first developed by the AMA in 1966. Each year, anannual publication is prepared by the AMA that includes CPT code changescorresponding with updates in medical technology and practice. The 2003version of CPT codes, for example, CPT 2003, includes over 8,000 codesand descriptors. The CPT code set also include a set of modifiers thatmay be used to further define CPT codes.

Evaluation and Management (E/M) codes are a sub-set of the CPT codesthat are used to describe a patient's encounter in a provider's office,hospital or other medical setting. E/M codes are used to describe thelevel of care a provider renders to a patient.

The CPT and E/M codes are assigned numeric codes that used to classifythe information, categorize and organize the information and used togenerate revenue for the organization that employs the medicalpersonnel. The numeric codes may also include codes used by insurancecompanies or other types of organizations such as health organizationssuch as those responsible for communicable diseases.

The Health Care Finance Administration (“HCFA”), a U.S. governmentagency responsible for the operation of oversight of medical insuranceprograms such as Medicare and Medicaid, has also developed a set ofmedical codes and modifiers. The HCFA developed a set of medical codescalled Health Care Procedural Coding System (“HCPCS”) codes to helprelate CPT codes to medical billing. The HCFA was renamed the Centersfor Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Jun. 14, 2001.

In addition, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) also developed asimilar set of codes to identify medical diagnoses, conditions andinjuries. These codes are called International Classification ofDiseases 9th edition Clinical Modification (“ICD-9”) codes andInternational Classifications 10^(th) edition Clinical Modification(“ICD-10”). ICD-10 codes for both diagnoses and procedures have beendeveloped, but are not yet used in the USA.

Accurate and proper coding of medical information is important becauseit helps determine financial reimbursement for physician services. It isalso important to ensure compliance with state and federal regulationsas well as help protect physicians from the financial and legalramifications of government, insurance company and other types ofaudits.

“Cloud computing” is a term used to identify the delivery of computingrequirements as a service to a heterogeneous community ofend-recipients. The term cloud theoretically signifies abstraction oftechnology, resources and locations that are used in building anintegrated computing infrastructure (including networks, systems,applications, etc.). All Cloud computing models rely heavily on sharingof resources to achieve coherence and economies of scale similar to autility (like a grid for electricity) over a network.

Cloud computing provides services with a user's data, software andcomputation on over multiple networks. End users access cloud basedapplications through a web browser or a light weight desktop or mobileapplication while the rest of the application software and data arestored on servers at remote locations. Cloud computing provides a sameor better service and performance with cloud software programs as if allthe cloud software programs were actually installed locally on end-userdevices.

At the foundation of cloud computing is the broader concept ofinfrastructure convergence and shared services. This type of cloudcomputing environment allows enterprises to get their applications upand running faster, with easier manageability and less maintenance, andenables the enterprise to more rapidly adjust resources (such asservers, storage, and networking) to meet fluctuating and unpredictablebusiness demand.

There are many problems associated with the collection and recordingmedical information. One problem is that incorrect medical codingcreates both a revenue generation problem and a compliance problem formany physician practices.

For example, one study by Mitchell S. King, Lisa Sharp, and Martin S.Lipsky, entitled “Accuracy of CPT evaluation and management coding byfamily physicians,” and published in the Journal of American Board ofFamily Practice 14(3): 184-192, 2001, has shown that family physicianstend to generate lower-level E/M codes for established patients, thereby“undercoding” the established patient visit. The undercoding results ina loss of potential revenues. Investigative agencies may also classifythis practice as fraudulent, in that it may be construed to indicatethat the provider is reducing fees by undercoding, and therebyattempting to entice patients to visit more frequently.

These same family physicians also tend to generate higher-level E/Mcodes than necessary for new patients, thereby “overcoding” the newpatient visit. This results in rejection of insurance payments and couldresult in loss of revenue, insurance audits and potential prosecutionunder the Federal False Claims Act (“FFCA”), 31 U.S.C. 3729 or otherFederal and state laws used prevent fraudulent insurance claims.

Another problem is that incorrect or improper coding of medicalinformation could result in non-compliance with the Health InsurancePortability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) 42 U.S.C. 1320d, et. seq.and other Federal and state laws enacted to protect privacy.

Another problem is that medical organizations use many different typesof medical codes from many different types of medical organizations onmany different types of proprietary and public medical forms. Themedical information is typically manually re-handled several times byseveral different types of people (e.g., providers, nurses, medicalbilling specialist, etc.) with different expertise levels with respectto coding of medical information. This handling may introduce errors forthe coding of medical information at many different levels.

Another problem is that the medical information is often manuallyentered into a data processing system. A medical technician withknowledge of medical information and medical codes must process theinformation to assign the proper codes. As was described above, thereare typically multiple sets of medical codes such as those used fordiagnosis, billing, insurance, etc. that are routinely used and changedon a periodic basis. This may also introduce errors for the coding ofmedical information at many different levels.

Another problem is that it typically takes a significant amount of timeto process medical information and create the proper medical codes froma patient encounter. This often leads to a very slow revenue stream forphysicians and a large amount of frustration for patients.

There have been attempts to solve one or more of the problems associatedwith coding medical information. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,529,876 toDart et al. entitled “Electronic template medical records coding system”describes a method and a computer program for use by health careproviders for the production of accurate billing coding for care enteredusing established E/M codes.”

U.S. Pat. No. 6,393,404 to Waters, et al. entitled “System and methodfor optimizing medical diagnosis, procedures and claims using astructured search space” describes a system and method for optimizingmedical diagnosis, procedures and reimbursement claims using astructured search space.”

U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,973 to Boyer, et al. entitled “Point of servicethird party financial management vehicle for the healthcare industry”describes a point of service third party adjudicated payment system andmethod which provides for the creation of an adjudicated settlementtransaction at a point of service which designates the portion of theservice to be paid by the third party payor and the portion to be paidby the customer.”

U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,109, to Johnson et al. entitled “Method forextracting pre-defined data items from medical service records generatedby health care providers,” described “a central medical recordrepository for a managed health care organization accepts and storesmedical record documents in any format from medical service providers.The repository then identifies the document using informationautomatically extracted from the document and stores the extracted datain a document database. The repository links the document to a patientby extracting from the document demographic data identifying the patientand matching it to data stored in a patient database. Data is extractedautomatically from medical records containing ‘unstructured’ orfree-form text by identifying conventional organization components inthe text and is organized by executing rules that extract data with theaid of such information. Documents for a patient are retrieved byidentifying the patient using demographic data.”

U.S. Pat. No. 5,483,443 to Milstein, et al. entitled “Method forcomputing current procedural terminology codes from physician generateddocumentation” describes a process for calculating a Current ProceduralTerminology (“CPT”) code from input received from a physician or othermedical professional.”

Newman and Weller in a paper entitled “A Desk Supporting Computer-basedInteraction with Paper Documents,” ACM 0-89791-513-5/92/005-0587,Chicago, May 3-7, 1992, teaches accepting input from paper forms into acomputer via an interface apparatus.

However, these inventions do not solve all of the problems associatedwith coding medical information. Thus, it would be desirable to helpreduce the complexity of collecting patient encounter information andallow easy automated collection, processing and recording of medicalinformation codes such as diagnosis codes, billing codes, insurancecodes, etc. It is also desirable to provide such medical codes inreal-time during or shortly after an encounter with a patient via cloudcomputing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention, someof the problems associated with processing medical records are overcome.A method and system for automated medical records processing with cloudcomputing is presented.

The method and system includes plural electronic templates specificallydesigned such that they may help reduce a complexity and risk associatedwith collecting patient encounter information and helps generate anappropriate type and number medical codes for a specific type of medicalpractice when processed with cloud computing.

The method and system also includes real-time processing applicationsthat may allow easy and automated collection, processing, displaying andrecording of medical codes (e.g., diagnosis codes, billing codes,insurance codes, etc.) with cloud computing.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of preferred embodimentsof the invention will be more readily apparent from the followingdetailed description. The detailed description proceeds with referencesto the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described withreference to the following drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary medical recordssystem;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are block diagrams illustrating a front side and a backside of an exemplary paper medical information template;

FIGS. 2C and 2D are a block diagram illustrating a front side and a backside of another exemplary paper medical information form that furtherillustrates an exemplary coding summary produced from exemplary patientencounter information;

FIGS. 2A-2D. FIGS. 8-12 are copyright © 2001-2003 by Practice Velocity,LLC. All rights reserved;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating portions of the exemplary papermedical information template of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data flow for themedical records system of FIG. 1 for a paper medical informationtemplate;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data flow for themedical records system of FIG. 1 for an electronic medical informationtemplate;

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of processing medicalinformation templates via the medical records system;

FIG. 7 is flow diagram illustrating a method of processing medicalinformation templates via the medical records system;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary HX matrix;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary PX matrix;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary CX matrix;

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary final E/M matrixfor a new outpatient;

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary final E/M matrixfor an established outpatient;

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of processing medicalinformation templates via the medical records system;

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of processing medicalinformation templates via the medical records system;

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating a 360° real-time view of apatient encounter;

FIG. 16 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for automated processingof medical information;

FIGS. 17-23 are copyright © by Practice Velocity, LLC. All rightsreserved;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a screen shot of a first portion of anexemplary electronic medical information template;

FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a screen shot of a second portion of anexemplary electronic medical information template;

FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a screen shot of a third portion of anexemplary electronic medical information template;

FIG. 20 is a block diagram of a screen shot of a fourth portion of anexemplary electronic medical information template;

FIG. 21 is a block diagram of a screen shot of a fifth portion of anexemplary electronic medical information template;

FIG. 22 is a block diagram of a screen shot of a sixth portion of anexemplary electronic medical information template;

FIG. 23 is a block diagram of screen shot illustrating an exemplaryfirst portion of a medical information template on a smart phone;

FIG. 24 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary cloud computingnetwork;

FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary cloud storageobject;

FIGS. 26A and 26B are a flow diagram illustrating a method for automatedprocessing of electronic medical records with cloud computing;

FIG. 27 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for automated processingof electronic medical records with cloud computing;

FIG. 28 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for automated processingof electronic medical records with cloud computing;

FIG. 29 is a block diagram illustrating additional components of themedical records system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 30 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for automated processingof electronic medical records with cloud computing;

FIG. 31 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for automated processingof electronic medical records with cloud computing; and

FIG. 32 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for automated processingof electronic medical records with cloud computing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Medical Records System

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary medical recordssystem 10. The medical records system 10 includes plural medicalinformation templates, including plural paper 12 medical informationtemplates and plural electronic medical information templates 12′, oneor more electronic scanners 14 (one illustrated), one or more clientcomputers 16 (one illustrated), one or more client network devices 18each with a display component including a graphical user interface (GUI)19, one or more server network devices 20 (one illustrated), and one ormore databases 22 (one illustrated). The components of the medicalrecords system 10 communicate via a communications network 24. Thecommunications network 24 includes a cloud computing/communicationsnetwork (FIG. 24).

The one or more different electronic medical information templates 12′are periodically, automatically and dynamically updated via thecommunications network 24 to reflect changes in medical, insuranceand/or billing practices and/or codes. However, the present invention isnot limited to these components, and more, fewer or other components canalso be used to practice the invention.

The one or more client network devices 18 include plural softwareapplications 26 (28, 30, 32, 33, etc.) for displaying an electronicmedical information template 12′, collecting digital information fromthe electronic medical information templates 12′, encrypting thecollected digital information, for compressing and packaging theencrypted digital information and for securely transmitting theencrypted, compressed and packaged digital information. The one or moreclient network devices 18 may include the information template readerapplication 28, a medical code processing engine 30, a medical datapresentation application 32, and/or the digital image/data verificationapplication 33, described below. However, the one or more client networkdevices 18 are not limited to these, and more, fewer or otherapplications and components can also be used on the one or more clientnetwork devices 18.

The client computers 16 include plural software applications 26 forscanning in paper medical information templates 12 from scanner 14 andcreating one or more digital images, for encrypting the digital imagescreated, for compressing and packaging the encrypted digital images andfor securely transmitting the encrypted, compressed and packaged digitalimages. The client computers 16 may also include the medical informationtemplate reader application 28, a medical code processing engine 30, amedical data presentation application 32, and digital image/dataverification application 33 described below. However, the clientcomputers 16 are not limited to these, and more, fewer or othercomponents can also be used on the client computers 16. The clientcomputers 16 may be local or remotely located with respect to thescanner 14.

The client computers 16, client network devices 18 and/or servercomputers 20 include comprising plural processing applications 26. Theplural processing applications 26 include, but are not limited to, amedical information template reader application 28, a medical codeprocessing engine 30, a medical data presentation application 32 and adigital image/data verification application 33.

In one embodiment, applications 26 (28, 30, 32 and 33) are applicationsfor smart phones such as the iPhone by Apple, Inc., Blackberry Storm, byResearch In Motion, Inc., Droid by Motorola, Inc., other types of smartphones, other types of mobile and non-mobile phones, etc. However, thepresent invention is not limited to such applications, and more, feweror other software applications can also be used on the server computer20.

In one embodiment of the invention, the plural processing applicationsare software applications. However, the plural processing applications26 can also include plural software, firmware, hardware applicationsand/or combinations thereof and the present invention is not limited tosoftware processing applications. One or more applications (e.g., 30,etc.) on the server computer 20 continuously and dynamically updateselectronic medical templates 12′ on the client network devices 18 andthe client computers 16. The server computers 20 may be local or remoteto the client computers 16 and client network devices 18.

The database 22 comprises a relational database. However, the presentinvention is not limited to a relational database and other types ofdatabases can also be used.

The communications network 24 includes a wired or wirelesscommunications network including components of the Public SwitchedTelephone Network (“PSTN”), the Internet, intranets, or types of wiredor wireless, including voice and data communications networks, andincluding local area networks (“LAN”) and wide area networks (“WAN”).

The server computers 20, the client computers 16 and client networkdevices 18 include wired and wireless interfaces to communicate with thecommunication network 24. The communications network 24 includes a wireor wireless, telecommunications network and/or a wired and/or wirelessdata network (e.g., Internet Protocol (IP) suite of protocols includingTransmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP),etc.).

In one embodiment of the present invention, the wired interfacescorresponding networking protocols for wired connections to the PublicSwitched Telephone Network (PSTN) or a cable television network (CATV)including HDTV or the Internet that connect the computers and networkdevices via one or more twisted pairs of copper wires, digitalsubscriber lines (e.g. DSL, ADSL, VDSL, etc.) coaxial cable, fiber opticcable, other connection media or other connection interfaces. The PSTNis any public switched telephone network provided by AT&T, GTE, Sprint,MCI, SBC, Verizon and others.

In one embodiment, of the invention, the wireless interfaces includeWPAN wireless personal area network (WPAN) interfaces. As is known inthe art, a WPAN is a personal area network for interconnecting devicescentered around an individual person's devices in which the connectionsare wireless. A WPAN interconnects all the ordinary computing andcommunicating devices that a person has on their desk (e.g. computer,etc.) or carry with them (e.g., PDA, mobile phone, two-way pager, etc.)

Typically, a wireless personal area network uses some technology thatpermits communication only within about 10 meters. One such technologyis “Bluetooth.” Another such technology is “Zigbee.”

A key concept in WPAN technology is known as “plugging in.” In the idealscenario, when any two WPAN-equipped devices come into close proximity(within several meters of each other) or within a few kilometers of acentral server (not illustrated), they can communicate via wirelesscommunications as if connected by a cable. WPAN devices can also lockout other devices selectively, preventing needless interference orunauthorized access to secure information.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the wireless interfacesinclude but are not limited to, an IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g,802.11n, 802.15.4 (ZigBee), 802.16a, 802.16g, “Wireless Fidelity”(Wi-Fi), “Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access” (WiMAX), ETSIHigh Performance Radio Metropolitan Area Network (HIPERMAN) “RF Home,”or other types of wireless interfaces. However, the present invention isnot limited to such wireless interface and other types of wirelessinterfaces can also be used.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the wireless interfaceincludes a wireless sensor device that comprises an integral or separateBluetooth and/or infra data association (IrDA) module for wirelessBluetooth or wireless infrared communications.

802.11b is a short-range wireless network standard. The IEEE 802.11bstandard defines wireless interfaces that provide up to 11 Mbps wirelessdata transmission to and from wireless devices over short ranges.802.11a is an extension of the 802.11b and can deliver speeds up to 54Mbps. 802.11g deliver speeds on par with 802.11a. However, other802.11xx interfaces can also be used and the present invention is notlimited to the 802.11 protocols defined. The IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b and802.11g standards are incorporated herein by reference.

Wi-Fi is a type of 802.11 xx interface, whether 802.11b, 802.11a,dual-band, etc. Wi-Fi devices include an RF interfaces such as 2.4 GHzfor 802.11b or 802.11g and 5 GHz for 802.11a.

802.15.4 (Zigbee) is low data rate network standard used for meshnetwork devices such as sensors, interactive toys, smart badges, remotecontrols, and home automation. The 802.15.4 standard provides data ratesof 250 kbps, 40 kbps, and 20 kbps., two addressing modes; 16-bit shortand 64-bit IEEE addressing, support for critical latency devices, suchas joysticks, Carrier Sense Multiple Access/Collision Avoidance,(CSMA-CA) channel access, automatic network establishment by acoordinator, fully handshaked protocol for transfer reliability, powermanagement to ensure low power consumption for multi-month to multi-yearbattery usage and up to 16 channels in the 2.4 GHz ISM band (Worldwide),10 channels in the 915 MHz (US) and one channel in the 868 MHz band(Europe). The IEEE 802.15.4-2003 standard is incorporated herein byreference.

WiMAX is an industry trade organization formed by leading communicationscomponent and equipment companies to promote and certify compatibilityand interoperability of broadband wireless access equipment thatconforms to the IEEE 802.16XX and ETSI HIPERMAN. HIPERMAN is theEuropean standard for metropolitan area networks (MAN).

The IEEE The 802.16a and 802.16g standards are wireless MAN technologystandard that provides a wireless alternative to cable, DSL and T1/E1for last mile broadband access. It is also used as complimentarytechnology to connect IEEE 802.11XX hot spots to the Internet.

The IEEE 802.16a standard for 2-11 GHz is a wireless MAN technology thatprovides broadband wireless connectivity to fixed, portable and nomadicdevices. It provides up to 50-kilometers of service area range, allowsusers to get broadband connectivity without needing direct line of sightwith the base station, and provides total data rates of up to 280 Mbpsper base station, which is enough bandwidth to simultaneously supporthundreds of businesses with T1/E1-type connectivity and thousands ofhomes with DSL-type connectivity with a single base station. The IEEE802.16g provides up to 100 Mbps.

The IEEE 802.16e standard is an extension to the approved IEEE802.16/16a/16g standard. The purpose of 802.16e is to add limitedmobility to the current standard which is designed for fixed operation.

The ESTI HIPERMAN standard is an interoperable broadband fixed wirelessaccess standard for systems operating at radio frequencies between 2 GHzand 11 GHz.

The IEEE 802.16a, 802.16e and 802.16g standards are incorporated hereinby reference. WiMAX can be used to provide a WLP.

The ETSI HIPERMAN standards TR 101 031, TR 101 475x, TR 101 493-1through TR 101 493-3, TR 101 761-1 through TR 101 761-4x, TR 101 762, TR101 763-1 through TR 101 763-3 and TR 101 957 are incorporated herein byreference. ETSI HIPERMAN can be used to provide a WLP.

As is known in the art, Bluetooth is a short-range radio frequencytechnology aimed at simplifying communications among network devices andbetween network devices. Bluetooth wireless technology supports bothshort-range point-to-point and point-to-multipoint connections. TheBluetooth Specification, GL 11r02. March 2005, prepared by the BluetoothSIG, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference.

In one embodiment, of the invention, the wireless interfaces include: awireless messaging, wireless cellular telephone, wireless cellulartelephone data, Packet Cellular Network (PCN), Global System for MobileCommunications, (GSM), Generic Packet Radio Services (GPRS), PersonalCommunications Services network (PCS), Cellular Digital Packet Data(CDPD), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Digital Audio Broadcasting(DAB) network, Voice over IP (VoIP) network or other types of wirelessnetworks.

The wireless cellular telephone network includes, but is not limited toCode Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access(TDMA), or other wireless technologies.

PCS networks include network that cover a range of wireless, digitalcommunications technologies and services, including cordless phones,mobile phones, voice mail, paging, faxing, mobile personal digital/dataassistants (PDAs), etc. PCS devices are typically divided intonarrowband and broadband categories.

Narrowband devices, which operates in the 900 MHz band of frequencies,typically provide paging, data messaging, faxing, and one- and two-wayelectronic messaging capabilities. Broadband devices, which operate inthe 1850 MHz to 1990 MHz range typically provide two-way voice, data,and video communications. Other wireless technologies such as GSM, CDMAand TDMA are typically included in the PCS category.

GSM is another type of digital wireless technology widely usedthroughout Europe, in Australia, India, Africa, Asia, and the MiddleEast. GSM is gaining popularity in the United States. GSM is a wirelessplatform based on TDMA to digitize data. GSM includes not only telephonyand Short Message Services (SMS) but also voice mail, call forwarding,facsimile, caller ID, Internet access, and e-mail.

SMS is type of communications service that enables a user to allowprivate message communications with another user. GSM typically operatesat three frequency ranges: 900 MHz (GSM 900) in Europe, Asia and most ofthe rest of the world; 1800 MHz (GSM 1800 or DCS 1800 or DCS) in a fewEuropean countries; and 1900 MHz (GSM 1900 also called PCS 1900 or PCS)in the United States. GSM also operates in a dual-band mode including900/1800 Mhz and a tri-band mode include 900/1800/1900 Mhz.

GPRS is a standard for wireless communications, which runs at speeds upto 150 kilo-bits-per-second (“kbit/s”). GPRS, which supports a widerange of bandwidths is an efficient use of limited bandwidth and isparticularly suited for sending and receiving small bursts of data suchas e-mail and Web browsing, as well as large volumes of data.

CDPD is a wireless standard providing two-way, 19.2-Kbps or higherpacket data transmission over existing cellular telephone channels. Asis known in the art, a Packet Cellular Network (PCN) includes varioustypes of packetized cellular data.

The medical records system further includes a secure audio dictationinterface 27. The audio dictation interface 27 allows a provider tosecurely access the medical records system 10 (e.g., via a secureweb-page, secure dial-in, secure voice-mail, etc.) and dictate audioinformation via a microphone such as those attached to a computer,mobile phone, personal digital assistant (“PDA”), etc. The dictatedaudio information is then stored in database 22 as an audio file in anappropriate audio format (e.g., a MIDI, WAVE, MP3, or other audioformat). The audio dictation interface 27 also allows a medicaltranscriptionist to securely access a saved audio file and transcribethe audio information into electronic text. The electronic text is savedin database 22 and is associated with an electronic medical recordcreated for a patient encounter as is explained below.

An operating environment for components of the medical the medicalrecords system 10 include a processing system with one or more highspeed Central Processing Unit(s) (“CPU”) and a memory or other computerreadable mediums. In accordance with the practices of persons skilled inthe art of computer programming, the present invention is describedbelow with reference to acts and symbolic representations of operationsor instructions that are performed by the processing system, unlessindicated otherwise. Such acts and operations or instructions arereferred to as being “computer-executed,” “CPU executed” or “processorexecuted.”

It will be appreciated that acts and symbolically represented operationsor instructions include the manipulation of electrical signals by theCPU. An electrical system represents data bits which cause a resultingtransformation or reduction of the electrical signals, and themaintenance of data bits at memory locations in a memory system tothereby reconfigure or otherwise alter the CPU's operation, as well asother processing of signals. The memory locations where data bits aremaintained are physical locations that have particular electrical,magnetic, optical, or organic properties corresponding to the data bits.

The data bits may also be maintained on a computer readable mediumincluding magnetic disks, optical disks, organic memory, and any othervolatile (e.g., Random Access Memory (“RAM”)) or non-volatile (e.g.,Read-Only Memory (“ROM”)) mass storage system readable by the CPU. Thecomputer readable medium includes cooperating or interconnected ordistributed computer readable medium, which exist exclusively on theprocessing system or be distributed among multiple interconnectedprocessing systems that may be local or remote to the processing systemand may be accessed by one or more CPUs or processors.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention include computers,servers network devices and interfaces that are compliant with all orpart of standards proposed by the Institute of Electrical and ElectronicEngineers (“IEEE”), International TelecommunicationsUnion-Telecommunication Standardization Sector (“ITU”), EuropeanTelecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), Internet Engineering TaskForce (“IETF”), U.S. National Institute of Security Technology (“NIST”),American National Standard Institute (“ANSI”), Wireless ApplicationProtocol (“WAP”) Forum, Bluetooth Forum, or the ADSL Forum. However,network devices based on other standards could also be used.

Medical Information Templates

FIGS. 2A and 2B are a block diagram 34 illustrating an exemplary papermedical information template 12 including a front side 36 (FIG. 2A) anda back side 38 (FIG. 2B). FIGS. 2A-2D and FIGS. 8-12 are copyright ©2002-2003 by Practice Velocity, LLC. All rights reserved.

Exemplary paper medical information template 34 is an exemplary medicalinformation template 34 from the set of plural paper 12 and electronic12′ medical information templates used, including plural differentmedical practice templates used for example, in a family practiceoffice, emergency room, urgent care, or walk-in clinic or for anyappropriate medical practice. Such a paper or electronic informationtemplate 34 is used by providers and other clinical personnel tocomplete documentation of history, physical exam, complexity of medicaldecision making, and other relevant information for an encounter with apatient.

The plural medical information templates 12 also include specializedpaper medical information templates (not illustrated) such as those usedfor pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, cardiology, neurology, etc.Such specialized paper medical information templates are configured andlaid out similar to the exemplary paper medical information template 34of FIG. 2 and are used to complete documentation for history, physicalexam, complexity of medical decision making and other relevantinformation in a specialized area of medicine (e.g., for a physicianwith a specialized medical practice).

The plural medical information templates also include general andspecialized electronic medical information templates 12′ (FIGS. 17-23)that can be displayed and used on desktop and handheld network devices18. The electronic medical information templates 12′ can be displayed ondesktop electronic devices such as computers, etc. or other types ofdesktop network devices 18. The electronic medical information templatescan also be displayed and used on hand-held electronic devices, such as,personal digital/data assistants (“PDA”), electronic tablets, (e.g.,IPAD, by APPLE, KINDLE by AMAZON, etc.), Internet appliances, mobilephones, smart phones such as the iPhone by Apple, Inc., Blackberry Stormand other models, by Research In Motion, Inc., Droid by Motorola, Inc,other smart phones and mobile phones, etc., electronic gaming platforms(e.g., Play Station Portable (PSP) by Sony, the Gameboy and DS byNintendo, etc.) or other types of handheld client network devices 18.

Returning to FIG. 2, the paper medical information template 34 isdesigned such that the plural processing applications 26 may read and/orinterpret data from a digital image made of a paper copy of a medicalinformation template 34, or directly from electronic medical informationtemplates 12′ created for an electronic device.

The paper medical information template 34 includes a limited number ofcheck boxes, blanks and diagrams or other pre-denoted fields to fill in.The limited number of choices helps reduce the amount and/or complexityof data to be reviewed and the number of diagnostic options to beconsidered while at the same time helping ensure the appropriate numberand type medical codes will be generated for the patient encounter.

The medical information templates 12, 12′ including exemplary papermedical information template 34, are not used as documents wherediagnostic information is entered by a provider or other clinicalpersonnel, where the responsibility for deciphering and selecting theappropriate codes is then performed directly by a physician ortransferred to a person with knowledge of medical coding and medicalcodes (corresponding to various diagnoses, procedures or services), whomanually enters the appropriate medical codes into a document or amedical records systems.

Instead, the plural medical information templates 12, 12′ are designedand laid out in a format that systematically documents the specificinformation, corresponding to medical codes that are a collection of themost common and most likely to encountered for a specific type ofgeneral or specialized medical practice. By simply completing themedical information templates 12, 12′ during a patient encounter, thephysician (or other skilled medical personnel such as nurses, physicianassistants, etc.) will cause many, if not all, of the proper medicalcoding to be automatically generated when the electronic images of thetemplates are processed by the medical records system 10.

When they are processed by the medical records system 10, the pluralmedical information templates 12, 12′ allow automatic generation anddisplay in real-time, of the proper medical and insurance codestypically used by medical and health care providers for general andspecific types of medical diagnosis's (e.g., emergency room or walk-inclinic diagnosis, specialized medical practices, etc.). The design andlayout of the plural medical information templates 12, 12′ also allowsautomatic easy and efficient processing by the medical records system 10and other types of data processing systems such as billing and invoicingsystems

The plural medical information templates 12, 12′ may simplifydocumentation using any of the following methods: (1) reducing thecomplexity associated with choosing the correct level of medicaldecision making by allowing only a small number of check boxes (or othereasily-denoted fields) for each level of risk; (2) eliminate the use ofamount and/or complexity of medical data to be reviewed. Selected datamay be eliminated on templates designed for practices where extensivereview of such data is very rare. However, check boxes (or othereasily-denoted fields) for other data may be placed on templates formedical practices where use of this category is helpful for determininga proper level of CPT E/M coding; (3) limiting and categorizing a numberof diagnoses or management options thereby further reducing risk andcomplexity. Check boxes (or other easily-denoted fields) are useddirectly for categorizing the number of diagnoses or management options.The check boxes (or other easily-denoted fields) are limited in numberto those in each category allowed by current coding guidelines. Theprovider may check as many as possible, but can not check too many, asthe check boxes on the template are limited as noted above; (4)electronically process, display and utilize in real-time patientencounter information recorded on a paper medical template 12 after thepaper medical template has been converted into a digital image; (5) helpelectronically process, display, and utilize in real-time data recordedon electronic medical templates 12′ after the electronic medicalinformation template has been processed; and (6) allow easy changes ofcoding definitions. If coding definitions are changed by any entity,changes are easily made within the method and system. The one or moredifferent electronic medical templates are continuously and dynamicallyupdated on the client network devices 18 via the communications network24.

FIG. 2B also includes an exemplary information area 40 with fourcheck-boxes for the Neck as is explained in connection with FIG. 3. Inaddition, FIG. 2B illustrates an exemplary information area 41 withplural check boxes for completing a medical diagnosis as is explainedbelow in connection with Table 3.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram 42 illustrating portions of the exemplarypaper medical information template 34 from FIG. 2B. For example, theexemplary paper medical information template 34 on its back side 38(FIG. 2B) includes a box labeled “Neck” 40 and a box labeled “Diagnoses”41.

A Neck box 40 (FIG. 3) includes two columns of check boxes 44, 46typically identified by colors including for example, green and red. Thegreen check box is the first or leftmost check box and the red check boxis the second or rightmost check box. The green check box indicates theprovider examined the patient, but the patient does not have anyabnormality in the indicated body area or system. The red check boxindicates the provider examined the patient, but the patient does haveone or more abnormalities in the indicated body area or system. However,the exemplary paper medical information template 34 is not limited tosuch check boxes and other colors, other designations and other layoutsfor the check boxes can also be used.

For example, the Neck box 40 includes a first row 48 labeled “Exam(mass, appearance, symmetry, trachea, crepitus)” and a second row 40labeled “Thyroid (enlargement, tenderness, mass).”

The information in these rows may include some or all of the specifiedphysical exam items from the published guidelines for CPT E/M codesrelated to the neck. Thus, a physicians (or other skilled medialpersonnel) with no knowledge or a large amount of knowledge of medicalcoding practices can use the medical information template efficiently.In both situations, the proper medical codes are generated automaticallyfor the patient encounter. Coding is not based on the coding knowledgeof the provider (or other skilled medical personnel), but rather on theactual documentation of the encounter on the patient's medical record.

During an examination of the patient, the provider might check thepatient's neck if the patient was in an automobile accident or otherwisecomplained of neck pain. If the patient's neck exam was normal, thephysical would check the green check box column 44 of the first row 48in the Neck box 38. (See FIG. 2D).

If the patient's neck exam was abnormal, the provider would check thered check box column 46 of the first row 48 in the Neck box 40.

The provider need not specify and document the actual abnormality usinghandwritten, typed text, voice dictation, or choose from a list ofspecific abnormal conditions. A similar procedure would be followedduring the examination of the patient's Thyroid in the second row 50 ofthe Neck box 40.

Diagnoses box 41 includes check boxes for new and established diagnoses.It also includes a range of possible levels of medical diagnoses fromminor to complex as is explained below.

The plural medical information templates 12, including exemplary papermedical information template 34, are scanned into the medical recordssystem 10 via scanner 14. Patient encounter information is collectedfrom the plural electronic medical information templates 12′ via anumber of other methods via a communications connection established withthe server computers 20 via the communications network 24 (e.g.,infrared connection, or other wired or wireless connection via aPersonal Digital Assistant (“PDA”), mobile phone, etc.).

The data on the plural medical information templates 12, 12′ is used formultiple purposes including (but not limited to) those purposeillustrated in Table 1a. However, the present invention is not limitedto the purposes limited in Table 1a and more, fewer or other purposescan also be used to practice the invention.

TABLE 1a 1. Coding of and/or billing for Evaluation and Management codes(“E/Ms”) codes in real-time. 2. Coding of and/or billing for CurrentProcedural Terminology (“CPTs”) codes in real-time. 3. Coding of and/orbilling for Health Care Financing Administration Common ProceduralCoding System (“HCPCS”) codes in real-time. 4. Coding of and/or billingfor International Classification of Diseases (“ICD-9”) 9^(th) or 10^(th)(“ICD-10”) Edition Clinical Modification codes in real-time. 5. Codingof modifiers to be attached to the above-generated codes. 6. Coding ofand/or billing for other codes for medical services as defined bygovernmental agencies, medical associations, insurance companies, otherpayers, or any other entity that creates or defines codes or a system ofcodes for the purposes of documenting and/or billing medical services orsupplies in real-time. 7. Production of a paper or electronic invoice 75(FIG. 4) in real-time immediately after a patient encounter using one ormore of the medical codes described in 1-5. 8. Production an electronicmedical record in real-time immediately after a patient encounter usingor more of the medical codes described in 1-5. 9. Production of otherplural electronic templates used to display patient encounterinformation in real-time. 10. Evaluating the medical data for regulatorycompliance (e.g., HIPAA, etc.) 11. Evaluating appropriateness of medicalcare. 12. Production of text documents through electronic conversion ofdata on the paper medical record into an electronic medical record. 13.Evaluating patterns of physician practices. 14. Gathering data formedical research. 15. Utilizing generated medical codes in other dataprocessing systems such as other billing and invoicing systems. 16.Other applications deemed appropriate for use of this data whileprotecting its privacy.Data Flow in the Medical Records System

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data flow 52 for themedical records system 10 for a paper medical information template 12.The data flow 52 includes scanning a paper medical information template12 (e.g., paper medical information template 34 of FIGS. 2A and 2B) intoone or more digital images 54 with a pre-determined image format such asa Tagged Image Format (“TIF”) or other types of digital image formats(e.g., Bit Map (“BMP”), Graphics Interchange Format (“GIF”), JointPictures Expert Group (“JPEG”), etc.) known in the art, with scanner 14.The paper medical record may also be scanned into other digital formats(e.g., other types of digital data) and the invention is not limited toscan the paper medical information template into a digital image.

The digital images are encrypted 56 to ensure the data it includes isprotected and kept private. For example, the digital images may beencrypted using RSA encryption, Data Encryption Standard (“DES”)encryption, Advanced Encryption Standard (“AES”) encryption, or otherencryption methods known in the art.

Devices and interfaces of the present invention include various types ofsecurity and encryption. Wireless Encryption Protocol (“WEP”) (alsocalled “Wired Equivalent Privacy”) is a security protocol for WiLANsdefined in the IEEE 802.11b standard. WEP is cryptographic privacyalgorithm, based on the Rivest Cipher 4 (RC4) encryption engine, used toprovide confidentiality for 802.11b wireless data.

As is known in the art, RC4 is cipher designed by RSA Data Security,Inc. of Bedford, Mass., which can accept encryption keys of arbitrarylength, and is essentially a pseudo random number generator with anoutput of the generator being XORed with a data stream to produceencrypted data.

One problem with WEP is that it is used at the two lowest layers of theOSI model, the physical layer and the data link layer, therefore, itdoes not offer end-to-end security. One another problem with WEP is thatits encryption keys are static rather than dynamic. To update WEPencryption keys, an individual has to manually update a WEP key. WEPalso typically uses 40-bit static keys for encryption and thus provides“weak encryption,” making a WEP device a target of hackers.

The IEEE 802.11 Working Group is working on a security upgrade for the802.11 standard called “802.11i.” This supplemental draft standard isintended to improve WiLAN security. It describes the encryptedtransmission of data between systems 802.11X WiLANs. It also defines newencryption key protocols including the Temporal Key Integrity Protocol(TKIP). The IEEE 802.11 draft standard, version 4, completed Jun. 6,2003, is incorporated herein by reference.

The 802.11i is based on 802.1x port-based authentication for user anddevice authentication. The 802.11i standard includes two maindevelopments: Wi-Fi Protected Access (“WPA”) and Robust Security Network(“RSN”).

WPA uses the same RC4 underlying encryption algorithm as WEP. However,WPA uses TKIP to improve security of keys used with WEP. WPA keys arederived and rotated more often than WEP keys and thus provide additionalsecurity. WPA also adds a message-integrity-check function to preventpacket forgeries.

RSN uses dynamic negotiation of authentication and selectable encryptionalgorithms between wireless access points and wireless devices. Theauthentication schemes proposed in the draft standard include ExtensibleAuthentication Protocol (“EAP”). One proposed encryption algorithm is anAdvanced Encryption Standard (“AES”) encryption algorithm.

Dynamic negotiation of authentication and encryption algorithms lets RSNevolve with the state of the art in security, adding algorithms toaddress new threats and continuing to provide the security necessary toprotect information that WiLANs carry.

The NIST developed a new encryption standard, the Advanced EncryptionStandard (“AES”) to keep government information secure. AES is intendedto be a stronger, more efficient successor to Triple Data EncryptionStandard (“3DES”).

As is known in the art, DES is a popular symmetric-key encryption methoddeveloped in 1975 and standardized by ANSI in 1981 as ANSI X.3.92, thecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference. As is known inthe art, 3DES is the encrypt-decrypt-encrypt (“EDE”) mode of the DEScipher algorithm. 3DES is defined in the ANSI standard, ANSI X9.52-1998,the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. DES modes ofoperation are used in conjunction with the NIST Federal InformationProcessing Standard (“FIPS”) for data encryption (FIPS 46-3, October1999), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The NIST approved a FIPS for the AES, FIPS-197. This standard specified“Rijndael” encryption as a FIPS-approved symmetric encryption algorithmthat may be used by U.S. Government organizations (and others) toprotect sensitive information. The NIST FIPS-197 standard (AES FIPS PUB197, November 2001) is incorporated herein by reference.

The NIST approved a FIPS for U.S. Federal Government requirements forinformation technology products for sensitive but unclassified (“SBU”)communications. The NIST FIPS Security Requirements for CryptographicModules (FIPS PUB 140-2, May 2001) is incorporated herein by reference.

As is known in the art, RSA is a public key encryption system which canbe used both for encrypting messages and making digital signatures. Theletters RSA stand for the names of the inventors: Rivest. Shamir andAdleman. For more information on RSA, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,405,829, nowexpired, incorporated herein by reference.

As is known in the art, “hashing” is the transformation of a string ofcharacters into a usually shorter fixed-length value or key thatrepresents the original string. Hashing is used to index and retrieveitems in a database because it is faster to find the item using theshorter hashed key than to find it using the original value. It is alsoused in many encryption algorithms.

Secure Hash Algorithm (SHA), is used for computing a secure condensedrepresentation of a data message or a data file. When a message of anylength <2⁶⁴ bits is input, the SHA-1 produces a 160-bit output called a“message digest.” The message digest can then be input to other securitytechniques such as encryption, a Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) andothers which generates or verifies a security mechanism for the message.SHA-512 outputs a 512-bit message digest. The Secure Hash Standard, FIPSPUB 180-1, Apr. 17, 1995, is incorporated herein by reference.

Message Digest-5 (MD-5) takes as input a message of arbitrary length andproduces as output a 128-bit “message digest” of the input. The MD5algorithm is intended for digital signature applications, where a largefile must be “compressed” in a secure manner before being encrypted witha private (secret) key under a public-key cryptosystem such as RSA. TheIETF RFC-1321, entitled “The MD5 Message-Digest Algorithm” isincorporated here by reference.

As is known in the art, providing a way to check the integrity ofinformation transmitted over or stored in an unreliable medium such as awireless network is a prime necessity in the world of open computing andcommunications. Mechanisms that provide such integrity check based on asecret key are called “message authentication codes” (MAC). Typically,message authentication codes are used between two parties that share asecret key in order to validate information transmitted between theseparties.

Keyed Hashing for Message Authentication Codes (HMAC), is a mechanismfor message authentication using cryptographic hash functions. HMAC isused with any iterative cryptographic hash function, e.g., MD5, SHA-1,SHA-512, etc. in combination with a secret shared key. The cryptographicstrength of HMAC depends on the properties of the underlying hashfunction. The IETF RFC-2101, entitled “HMAC: Keyed-Hashing for MessageAuthentication” is incorporated here by reference.

As is known in the art, an Electronic Code Book (ECB) is a mode ofoperation for a “block cipher,” with the characteristic that eachpossible block of plaintext has a defined corresponding cipher textvalue and vice versa. In other words, the same plaintext value willalways result in the same cipher text value. Electronic Code Book isused when a volume of plaintext is separated into several blocks ofdata, each of which is then encrypted independently of other blocks. TheElectronic Code Book has the ability to support a separate encryptionkey for each block type.

As is known in the art, Diffie and Hellman (DH) describe severaldifferent group methods for two parties to agree upon a shared secret insuch a way that the secret will be unavailable to eavesdroppers. Thissecret is then converted into various types of cryptographic keys. Alarge number of the variants of the DH method exist including ANSIX9.42. The IETF RFC-2631, entitled “Diffie-Hellman Key Agreement Method”is incorporated here by reference.

However, the present invention is not limited to the security orencryption techniques described and other security or encryptiontechniques can also be used.

As is known in the art, IP is an addressing protocol designed to routetraffic within a network or between networks. For more information on IP54 see IETF RFC-791 incorporated herein by reference.

TCP provides a connection-oriented, end-to-end reliable protocoldesigned to fit into a layered hierarchy of protocols that supportmulti-network applications. For more information on TCP 58 see RFC-793,incorporated herein by reference.

UDP provides a connectionless mode of communications with datagrams inan interconnected set of networks. For more information on UDP see ITEFRFC-768 incorporated herein by reference.

As is known in the art, the HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) Secure(HTTPs), is a standard for encrypted communications on the World WideWeb. HTTPs is actually just HTTP over a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). Formore information on HTTP, see IETF RFC-2616 incorporated herein byreference.

As is known in the art, the SSL protocol is a protocol layer which maybe placed between a reliable connection-oriented network layer protocol(e.g. TCP/IP) and the application protocol layer (e.g. HTTP). SSLprovides for secure communication between a source and destination byallowing mutual authentication, the use of digital signatures forintegrity, and encryption for privacy.

The SSL protocol is designed to support a range of choices for specificsecurity methods used for cryptography, message digests, and digitalsignatures. The security method(s) are negotiated between the source anddesignation at the start of establishing a protocol session. The SSL 2.0protocol specification, by Kipp E. B. Hickman, 1995 is incorporatedherein by reference.

As is known in the art, Transport Layer Security (TLS) providescommunications privacy over the Internet. The protocol allowsclient/server applications to communicate over a transport layer (e.g.,TCP) in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, ormessage forgery. For more information on TLS see IETF RFC-2246,incorporated herein by reference.

The encrypted digital images are compressed and packaged 58 to reducetheir size and speed up transmission over the communications network 24.For example, the encrypted digital images may be compressed and packagedusing PKZIP, by Pkware, Inc. of Brown Deere, Wis., WINZIP, by Microsoft,Inc. of Redmond, Wash., or other types of data compression and datapackaging methods known in the art.

The compressed encrypted digital images are securely transmitted 60 overthe communications network 24 to the server computer 20. For example,compressed encrypted digital images are securely transmitted via aSecure Sockets Layer (“SSL”) (e.g., using an encryption key of 1000-bitsor more to protect privacy of the digital images), using the FileTransfer Protocol (“FTP”).

As is known in the art, a “secure transmission” over a communicationsnetwork includes a transmission over a communications connection that isprotected against unauthorized access, operation, or use, by means ofencryption, or other forms of control or security.

However, other secure transmission techniques (e.g., RSA, DES, AES, dataencryption, Internet Protocol Security (“IPsec”), etc.) and other dataprotocols (e.g., Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”)/Internet Protocol(“IP”), User Datagram Protocol (“UDP”), etc.) known in the art can alsobe used.

The server computer 20 securely receives the compressed encrypteddigital images and un-compresses 62 encrypted digital images back totheir original size. The server computer 20 decrypts 64 theun-compressed digital images to obtain the original digital images 54scanned into the medical records processing system 10.

The original digital images 54 are processed 66 by the plural processingapplications 26. For example, the medical template reader application 28extracts patient encounter information from the original digital images54 and creates a number of internal data structures used to verify andstore the patent encounter information as is described below.

In one embodiment of the invention, if the medical template readerapplication 28 determines that it can not accurately determine specificpatient encounter information from the original digital images 54 (e.g.,can not electronically scan and process the s or other medicalpersonnel's handwriting, marks on check boxes overlap, etc.), thepatient encounter information in question is electronically highlightedon the original digital images 54 and displayed 68 in real-time by themedical data presentation application 32 for a human user to interpretand/or verify 70.

This real-time verification application 33 allows errors and/orinconsistencies in electronic interpretation of the data on the digitalimages 54 from the scanned paper templates 12 or original electronicdata entered into an electronic template 12′ to be immediately correctedby a human user. If the digital image is missing necessary, important,required or relevant data (e.g., provider signature, vital signs,patient demographics, etc) this information may be returned to theprovider so that the provider appropriately completes this data and thepaper template is rescanned.

As is known in the art, “real-time” operations are those in which acomputer's systems activities match a human perception of a time periodor are computer system operations that proceed at rate similar to anexternal physical process. In another embodiment of the invention, nearreal-time or non-real-time processing can also be used. In oneembodiment of the invention, real-time operations are conducted in atime-period of a few milli-seconds or faster in length.

In another embodiment of invention, if the medical template readerapplication 28 can not properly determine patient encounter informationfrom the original digital images 54, a determination as a “best guess”is made for the patient encounter information in question using one ormore internal (e.g., software 33, hardware, firmware, etc.) digitalimage analysis techniques available to the medical template readerapplication 28. This embodiment does not necessarily rely onverification by a human user.

If the medical template reader application 28 has determined patientencounter information from the original digital images 54, and this hasbeen verified and/or corrected by a human user the medical codeprocessing engine 30 automatically generates the appropriate medicalcodes (e.g., E/M, CPT, HCPCS, etc.) in real-time for the patientencounter information using the internal data structures of storedpatient encounter information. The generated medical codes along withthe original digital images 54 including the patient encounterinformation, other patient encounter information extracted and otherpatient encounter information newly generated (e.g., a new electronicmedical information record, an electronic invoice 75, etc.) are stored72 in the database 22.

In one embodiment of the invention, the generated medical codes,generated tables of patient encounter information and the originaldigital images 54 are stored 72 in databases 22, wherein databases 22are relational databases. The generated medical codes and the originaldigital images 50 are stored in an open database connectivity (“ODBC”)format using structure query language (“SQL”) commands to access thedatabases 22.

However, the invention is not limited to such an embodiment and othertypes of databases (e.g., non-relational), database formats and databasecommands can also be used with the databases 22.

As is known in the art, ODBC is standard database access methoddeveloped by Microsoft Corporation. ODBC makes it possible to access anydata from any application, regardless of which database managementsystem (“DBMS”) is handling the data. As is known in the art, SQL isdatabase sublanguage used in querying, updating, and managing relationaldatabases.

The generated medical codes are also used by the medical code processingengine 30 to create an electronic invoice 75 or paper invoice 75 and asummary of the collected medical information for the patient in the formof an electronic medical record in real-time or sent to another dataprocessing system for additional processing The electronic codes andelectronic medical record is securely transmitted 74 (e.g., using SSL asdescribed above) and is displayed 76 by the medical data presentationapplication 32 in real-time for medical office personal. Delayedprocessing may also be performed as appropriate to the specificsituation (e.g., by another data processing system such as an externalbilling or invoicing system)

The electronic invoice 75 and electronic medical record can be displayed76 in real-time via the medical data presentation application 32 on theclient computers 16 (not illustrated), the server computer 20 (notillustrated), on another secure display 77 in the medical facility thatcollected medical information form the patient, or by any otherauthorized user on a computer (not illustrated) equipped for thisdisplay.

For example, if a patient entered a clinic and desired to pay by creditcard or cash, immediately after being examined by a provider, thepatient encounter information recorded on a paper medical informationtemplate 12 (e.g., FIG. 2) would be scanned in and processed as justdescribed for FIG. 4. As the patient received his/her exit instructions(e.g., receiving instructions for prescribed medications, instructionsto further threat an injury or illness at home, etc.) the medical codesgenerated in real-time are used to create an electronic invoice inreal-time for the patient with an appropriate fee for the patient visit.Thus, the patient can be charged the appropriate fee immediately ashe/she is ready to leave the clinic without delaying the patient anysignificant amount of time. This leads to greater overall patientsatisfaction at a time when the patient is in pain or is not otherwisefeeling well. This also leads to correct and immediate revenue for themedical facility and/or physician.

The electronic invoice and electronic medical record can also besecurely transmitted 74 and displayed 76 at a later time (i.e., nonreal-time) for medical office personal for patients who are covered byinsurance and for physicians who review the patient's chart at a latertime.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary data flow 78 for themedical records system of FIG. 1 for an electronic medical informationtemplate 12′. Electronic medical information templates 12′ are processedin a manner similar to the paper medical information templates 12described above. In this embodiment, patient encounter information isnot recorded on paper medical information templates. Instead, it isrecorded electronically directly on the electronic medical informationtemplates 12′.

In one embodiment, the electronic medical information template 12′ isdisplayed on a computer screen or handheld network devices 18. Digitalinformation 80 from the electronic medical information template 12′ iscollected and encrypted 82 on the electronic device to ensure the datais protected and kept private.

The encrypted digital information is compressed 84 on the networkdevices 18 to reduce its size and speed up transmission over thecommunications network 24. The compressed encrypted digital informationis securely transmitted 86 from the network devices 18 over thecommunications network 24 to the server computer 20.

The server computer 20 securely receives the compressed encrypteddigital information and un-compresses 88 encrypted digital informationback to its original size. The server computer 20 decrypts 90 theun-compressed digital information to obtain the original digitalinformation 80 collected electronically from the network devices 18,

The original digital information 80 is processed 92 by the processingapplications 26. The medical template reader application 28 extractspatient encounter information from the original digital information 80and creates a number of internal data structures used to store thepatent information.

In this data flow, the verification steps described above for the paperelectronic information templates 12′ are typically not necessary becausethere are no digital images to process, only original digitalinformation 80 generated directly from the electronic medicalinformation template. However, automated internal or human verificationmay also be performed. In addition, the verification application 33 maybe used to check and verify either all information input into theelectronic medical information templates 12′ or selected ones of theinput information.

For example, if the medical information entered into the medicalinformation template 12′ was for a male patient, and questions aboutpregnancy or menstrual periods were included in the informationcollected, the verification application 33 would automatically flag suchinconsistencies for review. The verification application 33 is also usedto flag inconsistencies between chief complaints and known interactionsbetween one or more medications that the patient may be currently takingand/or new medications prescribed for the current patient encounter.

The medical code processing engine 30 automatically generates theappropriate medical codes (e.g., E/M, CPT, HCPCS, etc.) for the patientencounter information using the tables of patient encounter information.The generated medical codes are stored 94 along with the originaldigital information 80 including the patient encounter information inthe database 22.

The generated medical codes are used by the medical code processingengine 30 to create an electronic invoice (Table 7) and an electronicmedical record (FIG. 22) for the patient. The electronic invoice andelectronic medical record is securely transmitted 96 (e.g., using SSL asdescribed above) and is displayed 98 by the medical data presentationapplication 32 in real-time for medical office personal.

The electronic invoice (Table 7) and electronic medical record (FIG. 22)are displayed 98 in real-time via the medical data presentationapplication 32 on the client network device 18, the server computer 20(not illustrated), on another secure display 99 in the medical facilitythat collected medical information form the patient via the medical datapresentation application 32 or on the client network devices 18 fromwhich the patient encounter information was collected (not illustrated).

The electronic invoice (Table 7) and electronic medical record (FIG. 22)can also be securely transmitted 96 and displayed 98 at a later time(i.e., in non real-time) for medical office personal for patients whoare covered by insurance and for physicians who review the patient'schart at a later time. Billing codes can also be electronicallydownloaded to other software applications for further processing,storage or transmission to other entities or other data processingsystems.

In another embodiment, all the processing just described for thedataflow in FIG. 5 is completed on the client network devices 18 (e.g.,Method 184, etc.). In such an embodiment, the client network devices 18periodically are in secure communications with the server computer 20 ata later time via the communications network 24 to securely transmit acopy of all information collected and created for the patient encounter.In such an embodiment, the client network device 18 securely transmitsthe original and processed data to a display device in the medicalfacility for real-time display 99. The real-time display includes theelectronic medical record (FIG. 22) as well as the electronic invoice(Table 7).

Processing Medical Information Templates

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a Method 100 of processing medicalinformation templates via the medical records system 10. At Step 102,one or more digital images created from a paper medical informationtemplate 12 are securely received on a server computer 20 via acommunications network 24. The digital images of the medical informationtemplate were created by scanning a paper copy of the medicalinformation template 12 into the medical records system 10 via thescanner 14. At Step 104, the one or more digital images areautomatically processed on the server computer 20 to extract patientencounter information. At Step 106, one or more medical codes areautomatically generated from the extracted patient encounterinformation. The one or more medical codes generated include, but arenot limited to, one or more of E/M, CPT, HCPCS, ICD-9, ICD-10 or othertypes of codes. At Step 108, the one or more generated medical codes aregenerated from the extracted patient encounter information are utilizedon one or more electronic templates. The one or more electronictemplates are displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) or the oneor more electronic templates are used to produce additional medicalinformation documents.

The one or more electronic templates can be displayed on a GUI inreal-time directly after a patient encounter providing immediate accessto the one or more electronic medical information templates created fromthe one or more generated medical codes.

The one or more generated medical codes can also be utilized via the oneor more electronic templates to produce additional medical informationdocuments, such as invoices, medical records, etc. The additionalmedical information documents can be produced via exemplary medicalrecords system 10 or be sent to other data processing systems (notillustrated) for further processing. For example, the one or moreelectronic templates including the one or more generated medical codes(e.g., as XML or other types of electronic templates) can be sentelectronically to another data processing system, such as a 3^(rd) partyor external medical billing system, that creates and sends an invoice tothe patient after the patient encounter.

In such an embodiment, the one or more electronic templates may never beviewed or displayed, but treated as data that is processed automaticallyby other data processing systems. In such an embodiment, Method 100 isused to create electronic data that is used as an interface to otherdata processing systems.

The one or more electronic templates include, but are not limited to, anelectronic invoice template, an electronic medical record template, acurrent compliant template, a nurse template, a review template, adiagnosis template; a provider template; and other types of electronictemplates.

Chief Complaint Determines Selection of Specific History Template(s):

The chief complaint template describes an organization of an electronicmedical record in such a way that medical information provided bypersonnel (including but not limited to the provider, nursing staff oreven the patient himself or herself), can be documented using otherelectronic templates (e.g., a history template) or another papertemplate. For example, when a provider/or patient selects chiefcomplaint, an additional electronic template (e.g., a history template)specific to that complaint is generated based on the chief complaint ofthe patient. This additional electronic template (specific to a givenchief complaint) includes information that a medical provider generallydocuments or could generally be expected to document for a given chiefcomplaint. This information may include, but is not limited toappropriate history of present illness (“HPI”), review of systems(“ROS”), past medical family social history (“PMSFH”), allergies,medications, vital signs, etc. This information may or may not bemodified by or for the medical facility that collected the patientencounter information (e.g., via a review template).

Diagnosis determines selection of specific physical exam, treatment anddisposition template(s): In addition, the organization of an electronicmedical record can be presented in such a way that a paper or anelectronic template for a health-care provider for the majority ofpatients can be documented using another single electronic template(e.g., provider template). When a provider selects a diagnosis for agiven patient, a specific electronic template is generated based on thatdiagnosis of patient (e.g., a diagnosis template). This specificelectronic template (i.e., specific to the given diagnosis) includesinformation that the provider generally documents or could be expectedto document for a given diagnosis. This information may include but notbe limited to physical exam, treatments (including but not limited tomedications, clinical procedures, dressings, splints, casts, crutches,changes in activity, or any other treatment), laboratory testing,diagnostic testing, referrals, consults, disposition, or any other itemsdeemed relevant for the provider's documentation of this chart. Adefault set of the above data may or may not be set in advance, but canbe modified by the provider. This information may or may not be modifiedby or for the medical facility that collected the patient encounterinformation (e.g., via a physician review template).

Method 100 may also further comprise generating an electronic invoice inreal-time using the one or more medical codes calculated from theextracted patient encounter information. The electronic invoice includesa fee for the medical services provided during the patient encounter.The electronic invoice is presented in real-time via a graphical userinterface (“GUI”) (not illustrated in FIG. 6) or utilized in real-timevia other data processing systems as was described above

Method 100 may also further comprise generating an electronic medicalrecord in real-time using the one or more medical codes calculated fromthe extracted patient encounter information and other informationextracted from the patient encounter information. The electronic medicalrecord is presented in real-time via a graphical user interface (“GUI”)(not illustrated in FIG. 6) or utilized in real-time via other dataprocessing systems as was described above.

The patient encounter information is extracted by processing the pluralcheck-boxes or other electronically interpreted data and is stored ininternal data structures with plural fields on the server computer 20.After Step 104, the internal data structure fields include an indicationof which check-boxes and data fields were used (i.e., checked or filledout), and portions of the digital images corresponding to the originalpaper medical information template 12 may be placed into definedlocations on a newly generated electronic invoice template, electronicmedical record template, or other electronic template (e.g., nurse,insurance, etc.). The internal data structure fields also include linksto the original digital images 54.

These internal data structure fields are also be used for (but are notlimited to): (1) storing transcription of handwritten data (usinghandwriting recognition software, firmware or hardware) to replace thegraphic image of handwritten data with transcribed text in theelectronic medical record; (2) storing handwritten diagrams that areplaced into an electronic template of an electronic medical record; (3)storing computerized text including generated medical codes,computerized text generated from check boxes and other informationextracted from the patient encounter information that is displayed atvarious locations in one or more electronic templates such as theelectronic invoice electronic medical record, etc.; (4) storingtranscriptions of audio dictation data with transcribed text included inthe electronic medical record via audio dictation interface 27.

For example, when the paper medical information template 12 is used todocument a patient encounter, a provider can mark the encounter asneeding dictation. The electronic medical record created is marked witha status of “dictation pending.” The electronic medical record generatedis pre-populated for the pending dictation text including informationfrom the patient encounter. When the provider has time, he/she securelylogs into the audio dictation interface 27 (e.g., via a secure web-site)on the medical records system 10 views a queue of patient chartsawaiting dictation. A dictation voice file is captured from the providervia the dictation interface and is directly associated with theelectronic medical record. In on embodiment, a medical transcriptionistlater securely logs onto the same dictation interface, listens to thedictation file and generates an electronic transcript from thedictation. The medical record is populated with electronic informationfrom the electronic transcript. Thus, the electronic medical records canalso be dynamically populated with provider dictation text based on theresult of the patient encounter. In another embodiment, voicerecognition software is used to automatically transcribe the dictationinto electronic text.

One set of patient encounter information extracted from the one or moredigital images of the paper medical information template 12 at Step 104(and Step 114 described below) includes extracting historicalinformation (“HX”) obtained from the patient encounter and populatinginternal data structures. In one embodiment of the invention, extractedhistorical information is compared against predetermined values for anHX matrix (described below) for determining a historical value used tocalculate a medical code. However, the invention is not limited to thisembodiment and the extracted historical information can be used withother internal data structures to generate a medical code. In oneembodiment, the HX matrix data structure is stored as data bits in acomputer readable medium on the client network device 18.

The HX information includes, but is not limited to, predefined elementsthat make up chief complaint (“CC”) information, history of presentillness (“HPI”) information, past medical, family, social historyinformation (“PFMSH”) and review of system (“ROS”) information.

Table 1b illustrates exemplary HX information collected. However, thepresent invention is not limited to this HX information, more, less andother types of HX information can also be collected from the patientencounter information.

TABLE 1b HX Information Chief Complaint (CC): Description of one or moreproblems (e.g., sore throat, chest pains, trouble breathing, etc.)History of Present Illness (HPI): Location; quality; severity; duration;timing; context; modifying factors; associated signs and symptoms. Pastmedical, family, social history (PFMSH): Medical History - the patient'spast experiences with illnesses, operations, injuries and treatments.Family History - a review of medical events in the patient's family,including diseases which may be hereditary or place the patient at risk.Social History - an age appropriate review of past and currentactivities. Review of Systems (ROS): Constitutional; eyes, ears, nose,mouth, throat; cardio-vascular; respiratory; GI; GU; muscular;neurological; psychological; immune; etc.

Another set of patient encounter information extracted from the digitalimages of the paper medical information at Step 104 and 114 includesextracting physical examination information (“PX”) obtained from thepatient encounter and populating internal data structures. In oneembodiment of the invention, extracted physical examination informationis compared against predetermined values for a PX matrix (describedbelow) for determining a physical examination value used to calculate amedical code. However, the invention is not limited to this embodimentand the extracted physical examination information can be used withother internal data structures generate a medical code. In oneembodiment, the PX matrix data structure is stored as data bits in acomputer readable medium on the client network device 18.

Table 2 illustrates where body areas and organ systems from which PXinformation is collected. However, the present invention is not limitedto this PX information, more, less and other types of PX information canalso be collected from the patient encounter information.

TABLE 2 PX Areas Body Areas: Head, including face; Back including spine;Chest including breasts; Genitalia including groin and buttocks;Abdomen; Neck; Extremities; etc. Organ Systems: Constitutional; eyes;ears, nose, mouth, throat; cardio-vascular; respiratory; GI; GU;muscular; neurological; psychological; immune; etc.

Table 3 illustrates possible levels of the physical exam types of PXinformation determined. This example uses one specific set of guidelinescommonly referred to and published by the Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services (“CMS”) as the 1997 Documentation Guidelines forEvaluation and Management Services, but can utilize other methods orguidelines as determined by the type of exam or by changes in prescribedor allowable guidelines. In addition, the PX information is exemplaryonly, and the present invention is not limited to such PX information.

The PX information is determined in part from processing the check-boxescompleted in the medical diagnosis box 41 illustrated in FIG. 2B on thepaper medical information template 12 and in FIG. 3.

TABLE 3 PX Types PF One to five elements identified by a bullet (e.g.,one to five body areas or organs) EXPF At least six elements identifiedby a bullet (e.g., up to a total of six organ systems) DET At leasttwelve items identified by a bullet from 2 (or more) PX areas COMP Twoor more elements identified by a bullet in nine or more organ systems.

The PX types include, but are not limited to: a problem focused (“PF”)exam that includes 1-5 specific exam elements identified by a bullet onthe paper medical information template 12; an expanded problem focusedexam (“EXPF”) that includes at least 6 specific exam elements;identified by a bullet, Detailed exam (“DET”) that includes at least 12elements in two or more areas/systems, identified by a bullet; and acomprehensive exam (“COMP”) that includes documentation of at least twoelements from each of nine areas/systems identified by a bullet.

Another set of patient encounter information extracted from the digitalimage of the paper medical information at Steps 104 and 114 includesextracting complexity of medical decision making information (“CX”)obtained from the patient encounter and populating internal datastructures. In one embodiment of the invention, extracted complexityinformation is compared against predetermined values for a CX matrix(described below) for determining a complexity value used to calculate amedical code. In one embodiment, the CX matrix data structure is storedas data bits in a computer readable medium on the client network device18. However, the invention is not limited to this embodiment and theextracted complexity information can be used with other internal datastructures generate a medical code. The CX information includes a numberof diagnosis (“DX”) or treatment options and risk (“RISK”) information.

Table 3a illustrates exemplary CX information (e.g., FIG. 10). However,the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and otherembodiments can also be used to practice the invention.

TABLE 3a CX Types DX RISK straight forward (“SF”) straight forward risk(“SF”), number of diagnosis, <= one includes a self-limited or (code 1).minor problem (code 1). low number of diagnoses low risk (“LOW”),includes (“LOW”), minimal (code 2). two or more minor problems, onestable chronic illness or an acute uncomplicated illness or injury (code2). moderate number of diagnoses moderate (“MOD”) (“MOD”), multiple(code 3). includes one or more chronic illnesses with mild exacerbation,progression, or side effect treatment, two or more stable chronicillnesses, an undiagnosed new problem with uncertain prognosis or anacute illness with systemic symptoms or an acute complicated injury(code 3). high number of possible high risk (“HIGH”), diagnoses(“HIGH”), extensive includes one or more (code 4). chronic illnesseswith severe exacerbation, progression or side effects of treatment, oracute or chronic illnesses or injuries that may pose a threat to life orbodily function or an abrupt change in neurological status (code 4).

The DX information includes, but is not limited to: straight forward(“SF”) diagnosis; a low number of diagnoses (“LOW”); a moderate numberof diagnoses (“MOD”); and a high number of possible diagnoses (“HIGH”).This DX scoring can be performed using an objective scoring system. Aunique aspect of this invention includes (but is not limited to)presentation of these choices in check-box form with each of a maximumnumber of choices in each category represented by a check-box. Scoringof the DX section can then be performed by adding a point value of eachbox to obtain the total score in the DX section. Although, scoring ofthe DX section is not limited to this method, if it is used thefollowing scores correlate with the various levels of DX: (≦1) minimal;(2) limited; (3) multiple; or (4) extensive.

The RISK information includes: minimal or straight forward (“SF”) riskin which the medical problem is self-limited or a minor problem (e.g.,cold, insect bite, etc.); low risk (“LOW”) in which the medical problemincludes two or more minor problems, one stable chronic illness (e.g.,well controlled hypertension or non-insulin dependent diabetes,cataract, etc.) or an acute uncomplicated illness or injury (allergicreaction, simple sprain); moderate risk (“MOD”) in which the medicalproblem includes one or more chronic illnesses with mild exacerbation,progression, or side effect treatment, two or more stable chronicillnesses, an undiagnosed new problem with uncertain prognosis (e.g.,lump in breast or prostrate, etc.) an acute illness with systemicsymptoms (e.g., pneumonitis, colitis, etc.) or an acute complicatedinjury (e.g., head injury with brief loss of consciousness); and highrisk (“HIGH”) in which the medical problem includes one or more chronicillnesses with severe exacerbation, progression or side effects oftreatment, or acute or chronic illnesses or injuries that may pose athreat to life or bodily function (e.g., multiple trauma, acute MI,pulmonary embolus, severe respiratory distress, progressive severerheumatoid arthritis, psychiatric illness with potential threat to selfor others, acute renal failure, etc.) or an abrupt change inneurological status (e.g., seizure, TIA, weakness or sensory loss,etc.).

In one embodiment of the invention, omission of analysis of an amountand/or complexity of data reviewed is completed Omission of this aspectof a CX matrix can alter a CX score of very few patient encounters, ifthe previously used scoring for DX and RISK are utilized. Scoring of anamount and/or complexity of data reviewed may be added to the medicalrecords processing system 10 if indicated by physician utilization,patient population, or changes in coding guidelines.

Another set of patient encounter information extracted from the digitalimage of the paper medical information at Steps 104 and 114 includesextracting patient status information and patient demographicinformation. The patient status information includes, but is not limitedto, new patient, existing patient, consult, pre-surgery, hospital, etc.The patient demographic information, includes, but is not limited to,patient date-of-birth, etc.

The patient status information and patient demographic information isused in certain situations to override or modify the one or more medicalcode automatically generated at Steps 106 (and Step 118 described below)and/or to generate additional medical codes. For example, the patientstatus information, such as admit to the hospital can automaticallyoverride or generate addition types of medical codes. As anotherexample, the patient demographic information such as date-of-birthwithin a certain pre-determined range (e.g. very young or very old) canautomatically override or generates other types of medical codes.

Another set of patient encounter information extracted from the digitalimage of the paper medical information at Steps 104 and 114 includesextracting medical diagnosis information for the problems describedduring the patient encounter.

Another set of patient encounter information extracted from the digitalimage of the paper medical information at Steps 104 and 114 includesextracting clinical procedure information, treatment information andsupply information. The clinical procedure information, includes, but isnot limited to, clinical or hospital or surgical procedure information,such as stitches, applying cast, a desired operation, diagnostic tests(e.g., x-rays, MRI scans, CRT scans, etc.) and other types of clinicalprocedure information. The treatment information, includes, but is notlimited to, medications, physical therapy, etc. The supply informationincludes, but is not limited to, types of medical supplies used on thepatient such as bandages, casts, crutches, etc.

However, the present invention is not limited to extracting the patientencounter information described and other types of patient encounterinformation can also be extracted.

One type of medical codes automatically generated at Step 106 (and Step118 described below) includes CPT E/M codes for new outpatient visits.Table 4 illustrates a few exemplary such medical codes and theircorresponding requirements. The codes in Table 4 illustrate only aselected few of the many AMA CPT E/M codes and the present invention isnot limited to generating these exemplary medical codes. An amount ofprovider time spent on the patient encounter is also determined.

TABLE 4 New Outpatient: CPT Code 99201 HX: EXPF PX: EXPF CX: SF ProviderTime: 10 minutes New Outpatient: CPT Code 99202 HX: EXPF PX: EXPF CX: SFProvider Time: 20 minutes New Outpatient: CPT Code 99203 HX: DET PX: DETCX: LOW Provider Time: 30 minutes New Outpatient: CPT Code 99204 HX:COMP PX: COMP CX: MOD Provider Time: 45 minutes New Outpatient: CPT Code99205 HX: COMP PX: COMP CX: HIGH Provider Time: 60 minutes

Another type of medical code generated at Step 106 and 118 includes AMACPT codes for established outpatient visits. Table 5 illustrates suchexemplary codes and their corresponding requirements. The codes in Table5 illustrate only a selected few of the many CPT E/M codes and thepresent invention is not limited to generating these exemplary medicalcodes. The present invention is not limited to the CPT E/M codesillustrated and the present invention implements all and/or selectedones of the possible CPT E/M.

TABLE 5 Established Outpatient: CPT Code 99212 HX: PF PX: PF CX: SFProvider Time: 10 minutes Established Outpatient: CPT Code 99213 HX:EXPF PX: EXPF CX: LOW Provider Time: 15 minutes Established Outpatient:CPT Code 99214 HX: DET PX: DET CX: MOD Provider Time: 25 minutesEstablished Outpatient: CPT Code 99215 HX: COMP PX: COMP CX: HIGHProvider Time: 40 minutes

According to current AMA CPT guidelines, time is only to be used todetermine the level of E/M code if greater than 50% of the face-to-facetime of the encounter involved counseling or coordination of care. Ifapplicable coding guidelines are revised at some future date, then timemay be factored as indicated by these changes.

Step 106 further includes creating a coding summary of the one or moremedical codes generated from the extracted patient encounterinformation. The created coding summary is attached to the one or moredigital images. The coding summary is used to verify that the propermedical codes were generated from the extracted patient encounterinformation and can be used by auditors to verify the proper medicalcodes were generated.

FIG. 7 is a Method 110 for automatically calculating a medical code frompatient encounter. At Step 112, one or more digital images created froma paper medical information template 12 are securely received on aserver computer 20 via a communications network 24. The digital imagesof the medical information template were created by scanning a papercopy of the medical information template 12 into the medical recordssystem 10 via the scanner 14. At Step 114, the one or more digitalimages are automatically processed on the server computer 20 to extractpatient encounter information. At Step 116, historical information,physical examination information, complexity information, diagnosis,clinical procedures, tests, supplies and other data are collected fromthe extracted patient encounter information. At Step 118, one or moremedical codes are automatically generated from the information collectedfrom the extracted patient encounter information. The one or moremedical codes generated include, but are not limited to, one or more ofE/M, CPT, HCPCS, ICD-9 ICD-10, or other medical codes. At Step 120, anelectronic invoice template and an electronic medical record templateare automatically generated in real-time using the one or more generatedmedical codes collected from the extracted patient encounterinformation. At Step 122, the electronic invoice template and theelectronic medical record templates are displayed in real-time via acomputer screen, printed report or utilized or transferredelectronically to another software program, database or another dataprocessing system.

Step 118 further includes creating a coding summary of the one or moremedical codes generated from the extracted patient encounterinformation. The created coding summary is attached to the one or moredigital images. The coding summary is used to verify that the propermedical codes were generated from the extracted patient encounterinformation and can be used by auditors to verify the proper medicalcodes were generated.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary HX matrix 124. TheHX matrix 124 is used to determine a history value from the historicalinformation extracted from the patient encounter and used is to generatethe medical codes. The HX matrix includes fields for the CC, HPI, PFMSHand ROS elements as described above.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary PX matrix 126. ThePX matrix 126 is used to determine a physical examination value from thephysical examination extracted from the patient encounter and is used togenerate the medical codes. The PX matrix includes fields for the PF,EXPF, DET and COMP elements as described above and a count of thecheck-boxes extracted as described in Table 3 above.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary CX matrix 128. TheCX matrix 128 is used to determine a complexity value from thecomplexity information extracted from the patient encounter and is usedto generate the medical codes. The CX matrix includes fields for DX andRISK and the SF, LOW, MOD and HIGH elements as described above.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary final E/M matrix130 for a new outpatient. In one embodiment, the E/M matrix 130 isstored as data bits in a computer readable medium on the client networkdevice 18. The final E/M matrix 130 is used to calculate a medical codewith the historical value, the physical examination value and thecomplexity value determined from the HX 124, the PX 126 and the CX 128matrices. The final E/M matrix 130 includes possible values determinedfrom the HX, PX and CX matrices. It also includes a set of medical codesthat can be calculated. FIG. 11 illustrates a set of CPT E/M codes, onlyfor 99201 through 99205 as illustrated in Table 4. FIG. 11 is exemplaryonly and the invention is not limited to this E/M matrix. The inventionincludes other plural matrices to generate other types of medical codes.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary final E/M matrix132 for an established outpatient. The final E/M matrix 132 alsoincludes values determined from the HX, PX and CX matrices. It alsoincludes a set of medical codes that can be calculated. FIG. 12illustrates a set of CPT E/M codes, only for 99212 through 99215 asillustrated in Table 5. In this example, only two of the three aspectsof the HX, PX, and CX need meet the level for the final code. FIG. 12 isexemplary only and the invention is not limited to this E/M matrix. Theinvention includes plural other matrices to generate other types ofmedical codes.

Method 110 is illustrated with an exemplary simple patient encounter. An18-year female patient arrives at a family practice office as a newpatient complaining of an acute bee sting on her right fifth finger. Sheindicates that she has no chronic medical problems, is using nomedications and is not known to have a severe allergy to bee stings. Shehas only minor swelling and no other symptoms. The provider records thepatient history on paper medical information template 34, and theprovider checks a only small number of check-boxes for the physicalexam, template 40 and a minor, new problem in box 41 of FIG. 2B. Thepatient encounter information is processed with Steps 112, 114 and 116of Method 110.

At Step 116, referring to FIG. 8, a history value is determined from theHX matrix 124 using the historical information collected from thepatient encounter and stored in the internal data structures. Since thechief complaint (“CC”) is a bee sting, the history of the presentillness (“HPI”) is brief, the medical history is collected (i.e., notallergic to bee strings, no chronic medical problems, on no medications,etc.) and the review of systems (“ROS”) is limited to constitutional andrespiratory systems, the history value returned from the HX matrix isEXPF for a “extended problem focused” complaint.

At Step 116, referring to FIG. 9, a physical examination value isdetermined from the PX matrix 126 using the physical examinationinformation collected from the patient encounter. The physical examcould be a PF value.

At Step 116, Referring to FIG. 10, a complexity value is determined fromthe CX matrix 128 using the complexity information collected from thepatient encounter. Since a local bee sting reaction is a minor,self-limited problem, DX value is one. The patient may be givenover-the-counter medications so the RISK score is two. This makes thecomplexity value (“CX”) a straight forward, or SF value.

At Step 118, referring to FIG. 11, a medical code is generating from thefinal E/M matrix 130 for a new outpatient using the history value ofEXPF from the HX matrix 124, the physical examination value of PF fromthe PX matrix 126, and the complexity value of SF from the CX matrix128. The exemplary medical code and billing code generated is 99201.

Method 110 is illustrated with a second more complex exemplary patientencounter. A 58-year male established patient arrives at a familypractice physician office complaining of acute onset of one hour of10/10 chest pain, accompanied by shortness of breath. The patientsuffers from chronic diabetes, has had his left leg amputated and hasadvanced heart disease, lung disease and kidney disease. There is ahistory of diabetes in his family and he is currently a heavy smoker ofcigarettes. The provider records the patient encounter on paper medicalinformation template 30 for which the provider checks a large number ofcheck boxes and fills in a large number of blanks for the patientencounter including multiple check-boxes in box 41 of FIG. 2B.

At Step 116, referring to again FIG. 8, a history value is determinedfrom the HX matrix 124 using the historical information collected fromthe patient encounter. Since the chief complaint (“CC”) is pain; thehistory of the present illness (“HPI”) is extended including four ormore elements (location, chest; associated symptoms, shortness ofbreath; duration, one hour; severity 10/10); the past family, medicaland social history is relevant and includes elements of both the medicaland social history. (e.g., leg amputation, pain in fingers and kidneydisease related to diabetes, heart and lung disease related to heavysmoking, older male) and the review of systems (“ROS”) includes multiple(≧10) systems (e.g., constitutional, neurological, cardio-vascular,respiratory, etc.), the history value returned from the HX matrix isCOMP for a comprehensive history.

At Step 116, referring again to FIG. 9, a physical examination value isdetermined from the PX matrix 126 using the physical examinationinformation collected from the patient encounter. All elementsidentified by a bullet in over 9 areas/systems are documented in FIG. 2Bso a COMP value (comprehensive exam) is generated.

At Step 116, referring again to FIG. 10, a complexity of medicaldecision making value is determined from the CX matrix 128 using thecomplexity information collected from the patient encounter. Since theproblems are new and additional workup is planned, the detailed exam(“DX”) value is four. Since the risk of morbidity or mortality is highbased on the life-threatening nature of the patient's presentation,chief complaint the RISK value is also four. This makes the complexityof medical decision making value a HIGH value.

At Step 118, referring to FIG. 12, a medical code is generated from thefinal E/M matrix 132 for an established outpatient using the historyvalue of COMP from the HX matrix 124, the physical examination value ofCOMP from the PX matrix 126, and the complexity of medical decisionmaking value of HIGH from the CX matrix 128. The medical code generatedis 99215. (See also Table 5).

FIGS. 2C and 2D are a block diagram 133 illustrating a front side 135and a back side 137 of another exemplary paper medical information formthat further illustrates an exemplary coding summary 139 produced fromexemplary patient encounter information.

The patient encounter illustrated in FIGS. 2C and 2D is fictitious andnot the result of a real patient encounter. Thus, this fictitiousmedical data does not violate the privacy of any real individual underHIPAA or other federal or state laws.

This fictitious patient, a new outpatient, complained of a cough,chills, and tightness in the chest. During the patient encounter variousboxes on the paper information template were checked off including acheck of the patient's neck (box 40 FIG. 2D and normal green box 44illustrated in FIG. 3). A diagnosis was also made in the Diagnoses box(new w/u complete box 41 FIG. 2D and FIG. 3) and the provider includedhandwritten notes. The provider spent about 30 with the patient.

The exemplary coding summary 139 is attached to the one or more digitalimages after the one or more medical codes are generated. The exemplarycoding summary in box 139 is also illustrated in Table 6.

TABLE 6 CODING SUMMARY OUTPUT FROM PROCESSING OF EXEMPLARY PAPER MEDICALINFORMATION FORM ILLUSTRATED IN FIGS. 2C and 2D (box 139) E/M = 99203History = DET (CC = COMP; HPI = COMP; PFMSH = DET; ROS = DET) Exam = DET(13 Bullets; 6 Systems)/Complexity of MDM = MOD (DX = MOD; RISK = MOD;Data = N/A)

As FIGS. 2C and 2D and Table 6 illustrate, an exemplary E/M codegenerated from this fictitious patient encounter was 99203 for a newoutpatient (Table 5 and FIG. 11). The exemplary E/M code of 99203 isgenerated with the methods described herein.

Table 7 illustrates an exemplary invoice automatically generated fromthe information in Table 6. However, the present invention is notlimited to such an exemplary invoice and other invoices can also beautomatically generated and used to practice the invention.

TABLE 7 ERgent Care Clinic Patient: John Doe (New) Date: Oct. 18, 2003Time: 12:00 p.m. Chief Complaint: Cough and chest Exam: Detailed ExamCongestion chills Fee: $59.00 Doctor: Dr. Janet Smith Insurance: BlueCross - Blue Shield Risk/Complexity: Moderate Expected InsurancePayment: $35.00 Total Due from Patient: $14.00 Exit Instructions: Fillprescription for DOXYCYCLINE, see family physician within three days.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram illustrating a Method 134 of processingmedical information templates via a medical records system. At Step 136,electronic data created from an electronic medical information template12′ is securely received on a server computer 20 via a communicationsnetwork 24. The electronic data was created on a client network devices18 using an electronic medical information template 12′. At Step 138,the electronic data is automatically processed on the server computer 20to extract patient encounter information. At Step 140, one or moremedical codes are automatically generated from the extracted patientencounter information. The one or more medical codes generated include,but are not limited to, one or more of E/M, CPT, HCPCS, ICD-9, ICD-10,or other types of codes. At Step 142, the one or more medical codesgenerated from the extracted patient encounter information are presentedon one or more electronic templates that are displayed on a graphicaluser interface (GUI) or the one or more electronic templates areutilized to produce additional medical information documents. The one ormore electronic templates include, but are not limited to, an electronicinvoice template, an electronic medical record template, a currentcompliant template, a nurse template, a review template, a diagnosistemplate; a provider template; and other types of electronic templateselectronically to another software program, database or another dataprocessing system.

Method 134 is used to process digital data extracted patient encounterinformation entered on client network devices 18 using an electronicmedical information template 12′ instead of a paper medical informationtemplate. Method 134 processes such electronic data in a manner similarto the digital images described for Methods 100 and 110.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating a Method 144 of processingmedical information templates via the medical records system. At Step146, one or more medical codes are generated automatically from patientencounter information extracted from one or more digital images createdfrom a paper medical information template 12 for an encounter with apatient. The one or more medical codes generated include, but are notlimited to, one or more of E/M, CPT, HCPCS, ICD-9, IDC-10, or othermedical codes. At Step 148, one or more electronic templates aregenerated automatically using the one or more generated medical codesand other information extracted from the extracted patient encounterinformation. The one or more electronic templates include, but are notlimited to, an electronic invoice template, an electronic medical recordtemplate, a current compliant template, a nurse template, a reviewtemplate, a diagnosis template; a provider template; and other types ofelectronic templates. At Step 150, the one or more electronic templatesthat are displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) or the one ormore electronic templates that are utilized to produce additionalmedical information documents including the one or more medical codesgenerated from the extracted patient encounter information and otherinformation extracted from the extracted patient encounter information.

Step 146 further includes creating a coding summary of the one or moremedical codes generated from the extracted patient encounterinformation. The created coding summary is attached to the one or moredigital images. The coding summary is used to verify that the propermedical codes were generated from the extracted patient encounterinformation and can be used by auditors to verify the proper medicalcodes were generated.

The methods and systems described herein were illustrated with respectto a patient examination view or perspective. However, the invention isnot limited to this view or perspective. The methods and systemdescribed herein are also used to provide automated processing andreal-time collection and display of other types of medical informationassociated with, or generated by a patient encounter to provide 360°view of an individual patient after a patient encounter. The methods andsystem are used to process, display and/or utilize in real-time allavailable information for a patient immediately after a patientencounter.

Although description of this method has been limited to the outpatientencounter, this same methodology may be applied to documentation andcoding of in-hospital encounters, consults, preventative examinationsand other types of patient encounters.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram illustrating a 360° real-time view 152 of apatient encounter. The 360° real-time view includes, but not limited to,HX 154, PX 156, CX 158 matrix information extracted, diagnosticprocedures ordered 160 (e.g., blood tests, x-rays. MRI scans. CT scans,etc.); diagnostic procedures results 162; treatment plans 164; referralinformation 166; dictation information 168; patient insuranceinformation 170; provider information 172; and information such drugtesting information 174, workmen's comp information 176, legalinformation 178, and other types of information 180 associated with apatient and/or a patient encounter.

Processing Patient Encounter Information from Electronic MedicalInformation Templates

FIG. 16 is a flow diagram illustrating a Method 182 for automatedprocessing of medical information. At Step 184, patient encounter datacollected from a patient encounter on an electronic medical template isaggregated in real-time on a first application on a first network devicewith one or more processors. The patient encounter data is aggregatedinto plural information matrixes stored in a computer readable medium onthe first network device associated with the first applicationincluding: a historical information (HX) matrix, a patient examination(PX) matrix and a complexity risk (CX) information matrix, each withplural matrix information fields stored in the computer readable medium.The CX information matrix helps eliminate an amount and complexity ofpatient encounter data collected and a number of diagnostic options tobe considered during the patient encounter thereby reducing a medicalrisk associated with making a complex medical decision and limiting anamount and complexity of patient data to be processed and reviewed. AtStep 186, plural summary values are generated from the pluralinformation matrixes via the first application. At Step 188, one or moremedical and billing codes are generated via one or more summaryinformation matrixes using the plural summary values generated from theplurality of information matrixes via the first application. At Step190, an electronic patient medical record is generated from theaggregated patient encounter data and one or more generated medical andbilling codes. At Step 192, the generated electronic patent medicalrecord generated from the patent encounter is displayed in real-time viathe first application on the first network device via a graphical userinterface (GUI) the electronic including complexity risk information forthe patient encounter. The electronic medical record provides a 360degree real-time view of medical, billing, insurance and otherinformation collected and generated from the patient encounter.

Method 182 is illustrated with one exemplary embodiment. However, thepresent invention is not limited to such an exemplary embodiment andother embodiments can also be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment at Step 184, patient encounter datacollected from a patient encounter (FIGS. 2D, 2D displayedelectronically instead of using paper templates) on an electronicmedical template 12′ is aggregated on a first application 26 (e.g., 28,30, 32, 33, etc.) on a first network device 18 with one or moreprocessors. The patient encounter data is aggregated into pluralinformation matrixes stored as data bits in a computer readable mediumon the first network device 18 associated with the first applicationincluding: a historical information (HX) matrix 124, a patientexamination (PX) matrix 126 and a complexity risk (CX) informationmatrix 128, each with plural matrix information fields (e.g., Tables,1-5, FIGS. 8-10). The CX information matrix 128 helps eliminate anamount and complexity of patient encounter data collected and a numberof diagnostic options to be considered during the patient encounterthereby reducing a medical risk associated with making a complex medicaldecision and limiting an amount and complexity of patient data to beprocessed and reviewed.

At Step 186, plural summary values are generated from the pluralinformation matrixes 124, 126, 128 directly on the client network device18. In another embodiment, the first application on the client networkdevice 18 also establishes a communication via communications network 24to server computer 20 and database 22 is used to generate additionalsummary values for the patient.

For example, if the patient is an established patient at the medicalfacility visited, then existing electronic medical information about theestablished patient can be retrieved from the database 22 andautomatically added to the summary values. In one specific example, theadditional summary values added may include existing medicationsprescribed to the patient, drugs the patient is allergic to, etc. Suchan automatic update of the summary values helps lower the risk andcomplexity associated with the patient encounter as most medicalpatients do not have a clear understanding and do not clearly rememberwhat medications may have been prescribed to them or exactly what drugsthey may allergic to. A similar query may also be made to the patientmedical insurance company to automatically obtain insurance coverageinformation. This helps lower the risk and complexity associated withinsurance billing and/or collecting immediate payment from a patientafter a patient encounter. However, such a query can only be made if thepatient's medical insurance company has an electronic interface toprovide such information.

In another embodiment, the methods and system described herein,including the dataflow 52 of FIG. 4 can be used to input paper insurancerecords for the patient. In such an embodiment, all of the patient'sinsurance information would then be available electronically.

If the patient is a new patient at the medical facility visited, a querymay be made to automatically obtain the new patient medical records. Thenew patient medical records are automatically processed to generateadditional summary values from the medical records. However, such aquery can only be made if the patient's medical provider has anelectronic interface to provide electronic medical records.

In another embodiment, the methods and system described herein,including the dataflow 52 of FIG. 4 can be used to input paper medicalrecords for the patient. In such an embodiment, all of the patient'sprevious medical information from the medical records would then beavailable electronically.

In such embodiments, any information obtained from the quires todatabase 22 for any additional medical and/or insurance information isadded to the summary values and/or used to create an additional type andcount of the electronic check boxes used on the medical informationtemplates and/or via the matrixes.

At Step 188, one or more medical and billing codes are generated via oneor more Evaluation and Management (E/M) summary information matrixes130, 132 using the plural summary values generated from the plurality ofinformation matrixes (e.g., Table 6, FIGS. 11, 12, etc.)

At Step 190, an electronic patient medical record is generated from theaggregated patient encounter data and one or more generated medical andbilling codes.

At Step 192, the generated electronic patent medical record generatedfrom the patent encounter is displayed in real-time via the firstapplication 32 on the first network device 18 via a graphical userinterface (GUI) including complexity risk information 154 for thepatient encounter. The electronic medical record provides a 360 degreereal-time view 152 of medical, billing, insurance and other informationcollected and generated from the patient encounter (e.g., FIG. 15).

In one exemplary embodiment, FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary data flowand FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary real-time 360 degree view for thepatient encounter described for Method 182 of FIG. 16. However, thepresent invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments andother embodiments can also be used to practice the invention.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram of a screen shot 194 of a first portion 196of an exemplary electronic medical information template.

FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a screen shot 206 of a second portion 208of an exemplary electronic medical information template,

FIG. 19 is a block diagram of a screen shot 220 of a third portion 222of an exemplary electronic medical information template.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram of a screen shot 234 of a fourth portion 236of an exemplary electronic medical information template.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram of a screen shot 228 of a fifth portion 230of an exemplary electronic medical information template.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram of a screen shot 248 of a sixth portion 250of an exemplary electronic medical information template.

FIGS. 17-23 are copyright © by Practice Velocity, LLC. All rightsreserved.

FIGS. 17-23 illustrate portions of exemplary electronic medicalinformation templates 12′ displayed on a client network device 18.However, these portions are exemplary only and many more and differentportions for the electronic medical information templates 12′ aredisplayed on the client network device 18. The portions of the medicalinformation templates 12′ are stored in data structures in the computerreadable medium of the client network devices 18.

FIGS. 17-23 illustrate plural portions of electronic medical recordstemplates 12′ generated for an exemplary fictional patient that entersan urgent care clinic as an existing patient that has visited thisurgent care clinic before.

The exemplary fictional patient is a 64 year old male named David Smithand is in Exam Room 3. He has a bite wound from an unknown organism(e.g., a spider?, etc.) in the knee area. His application of ice madethe bite area feel better. His temperature is 103° F., his bloodpressure is 120/80. His pulse is 68 beats-per-minute. His in moderatepain and experiencing chest pain and muscle pain. He has heart problems,has a ventricular stunt installed, has had recent head and/or necksurgery. He is allergic to Penicillins.

FIG. 17 illustrates a first portion 196 of an exemplary electronicmedical information template 12′. The first portion 196 is automaticallyand specifically sized to be displayed on a selected client networkdevice 18. FIG. 17 illustrates two exemplary check boxes in a checkedposition 198. FIG. 17 illustrates a first portion of a medicalinformation template to collect information about a new chief complaint(CC). In this example, the CC is a bite wound to the knee area.

FIGS. 17-23 illustrate a selection bar 200 that is selected to displayvarious other portions of the electronic medical information template12′. In embodiment, the graphical selection bar 200 includes graphicaltabs to select portions corresponding directly to information collectedfor the HX, PX and CX matrixes 124, 126, 128 described above. However,the present invention is not limited to this embodiment and thegraphical selection bar 200 can include other graphical tabs and othergraphical selection bars can also be used to practice the invention. Forexample, in another embodiment, the selection bar 200 may not make anydirect reference to any the monikers used in the matrixes.

The graphical selection bar 200 also includes graphical tabs to displaythe generated medical and billing codes 202 and the generated electronicmedical record 204.

FIG. 18 illustrates a second portion 208 of the exemplary electronicmedical information template 12′ including a Review Of Systems (ROS)portion. ROS was described above (e.g., Table 1b for the HX matrix 124,etc.). The second portion 208 is automatically and specifically sized tobe displayed on a selected client network device 18.

The second portion 208 illustrates plural columns of green check boxes210 (leftmost column) and plural columns of red of check boxes 212(middle column). As was described above the green check box indicatesthe provider examined the patient, but the patient does not have anyabnormality in the indicated body area or system. The red check boxindicates the provider examined the patient, but the patient does haveone or more abnormalities in the indicated body area or system. Pluralgreen and red check boxes in the checked position are illustrated inFIG. 18.

FIG. 18 also illustrates a third column of gray check boxes to the rightthe red check boxes. The display order on FIG. 18 is green, red, gray.In one embodiment, the gray check boxes are used to collect data formedical research studies and/or for statistical purposes, etc. The datacollected by the grey check boxes is identified by a patient identifierthat can be mapped back to the patient the data is collected from duringthe patient encounter. However, the data is stored just with a numericpatient identifier, so of the data is comprised, it does not violate anypatient privacy rights under HIPAA.

In another embodiment, the third column of gray check boxes is used forspecific practice types to provide additional data inputs to the HX, PX,CX and E/M matrixes 124, 126, 128, 130, 132 stored in the computerreadable medium on the client network device 18.

However the present invention is not limited to the number or color orpurpose of check boxes described and more, fewer and other types ofnumbers, purposes and colors of check boxes can also be used to practicethe invention. In addition, the check boxes can be replaced with othergraphical features (e.g., radio buttons, bullet buttons, etc.) that canbe displayed in an on and off position by selecting and/or deselectingthe graphical feature. Check boxes were used on the electronic medicalinformation templates 12′ since they were created and in someembodiments are identical to the paper medical information templates 12used and described above.

For example, as is illustrated in FIG. 18, the exemplary patient withthe bite wound to the knee has chest pain 214 and muscle pain 216illustrated by a check mark in the red boxes for those recent symptoms.Additional text is entered 215, 217 by the provider via the clientnetwork device 18 to further describe the chest pain 214 and the musclepain 216. The physician may also dictate additional details about thepatient encounter into the dictation interface 27.

The exemplary patient does not have any of the other symptomsillustrated by the check mark in the green boxes for the other recentsymptoms in the Constitutional box 218 such as no change in appetite, nofever, no chills, no sweats, no chest pressure, no fatigue, no weightloss, etc.

FIG. 19 illustrates a third portion 222 of the exemplary electronicmedical information template 12′ including a Personal Family and SocialHistory (PFSH) portion. PFSH was described above (e.g., Table 1b for theHX matrix, etc.). The third portion 222 is automatically andspecifically sized to be displayed on a selected client network device18. The third portion 222 illustrates the patient is allergic toPenicillins 224, and plural red check boxes are checked for theexemplary patient including heart problems 226, head/neck surgery 228,ventricular stunt 230, and a smoker 232. When the red check boxes arechecked, the font on the electronic medical information template 12′ ischanged to a bold font to make it easier for a viewer to visuallydetermine a symptom from the patient encounter. Also, colored warningsymbols (e.g., 225) are used (e.g., in box 224 for the allergy toPenicillins, etc.) indicate additional warnings to the physician. Box224 illustrates one type of medical information for an establishedpatient that may be queried and obtained from server computer 20 andadded to the electronic medical information template 12′ for the patientencounter.

FIG. 20 illustrates a fourth portion 236 of the exemplary electronicmedical information template 12′ including a medical and/or diagnosticprocedures ordered 160 portion 236. The fourth portion 236 isautomatically and specifically sized to be displayed on a selectedclient network device 18. The fourth portion 236 currently illustrates alab test tab 238 selected. The lab test tab 238 displays available laband diagnostic tests that can be selected for the patient.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram of a screen shot 240 of a fifth portion 242of an exemplary electronic medical information template. The fifthportion 242 illustrates a summary of the information collected via theHX, PX, CX and E/M matrixes and displayed under the Code Summary 4 tab202 (FIG. 17). FIG. 22 illustrates a first box 244 for displaying acount of matrixes values 124, 126, 128 determined by check boxes checkedon the various portions of the electronic medical information template12′. Box 244 illustrates History, CC/HPI, ROS, PFSH, Physical and Datawith a number five. Complexity, DX and Risk with number four. It alsoillustrates a suggested Final Code of a number four and a final E/M codeof 99214 (132, FIG. 12) for an established patient.

FIG. 21 also illustrates a second box 246 that includes a coding summaryof the one or more medical and billing codes generated by Method 182(and other methods described herein) from the exemplary electronicmedical information template 12′ portions illustrated in FIGS. 17-23.Table 8 illustrates the coding summary displayed in Box 246 (e.g.,99214, etc.) determined from E/M matrix 132 (FIG. 12).

The final E/M code 247 generated for this patient is 99214 (see FIG. 12)based on the values determined from the checked boxes and applied tomatrixes HX, PX, and CX illustrated in FIGS. 8-10. The final ICD9 codesgenerated include 786.59 and 034.0.

TABLE 8 CODING SUMMARY OUTPUT FROM PROCESSING OF EXEMPLARY ELECTRONICMEDICAL INFORMATION TEMPLATE 12′ PORTIONS ILLUSTRATED IN FIGS. 17-23 anddisplayed in Box 246 on FIG. 21 Suggested E/M = 99214 (using 1995guideline . . . ) (item 247 FIG. 21) History = Comprehensive (CC/HPI =Extended: PFSH = Complete; ROS = Complete) Exam = Comprehensive (8systems) Complexity = Moderate Complexity (DX = Multiple, Risk =Moderate; DR = Extensive) ICD9 786.59 - Chest Pain 034.0 - Sore ThroatXRAY 71020 - Chest 2 views, frontal and lateral LAB 87880 - Strep GroupA

FIG. 22 is a block diagram of a screen shot 248 of a sixth portion 250of an exemplary electronic medical information template 12′. The sixthportion 250 illustrates an exemplary electronic medical record 252automatically generated in real-time from the patient encounter as theresult of Method 182 (and other methods described herein. In oneembodiment, the exemplary medical record is displayed by selected anddisplayed by selecting the Medical Record tab 202 (FIG. 17). Anysymptoms that the patient is encountering and were collected during thepatient encounter are displayed in a different font color (e.g., red andbold) for easy viewing on the medical record 252. For example, the chestpain 214 and muscle pain 216 collected from the red check boxes on FIG.18 are displayed in the different color fonts on the medical record 252in FIG. 22. In one embodiment, the electronic medical record 252 alsodisplays the coding summary including the final E/M code 247. In anotherembodiment, the final E/M code 247 is not displayed on the electronicmedical record 252. However, the present invention is not limited tothis embodiment and other embodiments can also be used to practice theinvention.

As is illustrated in FIGS. 17-23, plural portions of the electronicmedical information templates 12′ are automatically and successivelydisplayed and automatically and specifically sized to be displayed on aselected client network device 18.

FIG. 23 is a block diagram of screen 254 shot illustrating an exemplaryfirst portion 196 of a medical information template on a smart phone256. In one exemplary embodiment, the application 26 (28, 30, 32, 33) isan application for a iPhone, by Apple, Inc as illustrated in FIG. 23.However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiments andother embodiments, can also be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the portions of the electronic medial informationtemplates 12′ displayed are identical to portions of the paper medicalinformation templates 12. In another embodiment, the portions of theelectronic information templates 12′ are not identical to portions ofthe paper medical information template 12. In such an embodiment, theportions of the electronic information templates 12′ displayed by theclient network device 18 may appear in different orders, differentsequences, different groups, etc. However, the methods described hereinto automatically process medical information from the electronic medicalinformation templates 12′ are used no matter how the electronictemplates 12′ are portioned and/or displayed on the client networkdevice.

Processing Electronic Medical Records with Cloud Computing Networks

FIG. 24 is a block diagram 258 illustrating an exemplary cloud computingnetwork 24. The cloud computing network 24 is also referred to as a“cloud communications network” 24. However, the present invention is notlimited to this cloud computing model and other cloud computing modelscan also be used to practice the invention. The exemplary cloudcommunications network includes both wired and/or wireless components ofpublic and private networks.

In one embodiment, the cloud computing network 24 includes a cloudcommunications network 24 comprising plural different cloud componentnetworks 272, 274, 276, 278. “Cloud computing” is a model for enabling,on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computingresources (e.g., public and private networks, servers, storage,applications, and services) that are shared, rapidly provisioned andreleased with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.

This exemplary cloud computing model for electronic informationretrieval promotes availability for shared resources and comprises: (1)cloud computing essential characteristics; (2) cloud computing servicemodels; and (3) cloud computing deployment models. However, the presentinvention is not limited to this cloud computing model and other cloudcomputing models can also be used to practice the invention.

Exemplary cloud computing essential characteristics appear in Table 9.However, the present invention is not limited to these essentialcharacteristics and more, fewer or other characteristics can also beused to practice the invention.

TABLE 9 1. On-demand electronic content storage and retrieval services.Electronic medical records processors can unilaterally provisioncomputing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, asneeded automatically without requiring human interaction with eachnetwork server on the cloud communications network 24. 2. Broadbandnetwork access. Electronic medical records processing capabilities areavailable over plural broadband communications networks and accessedthrough standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneous thin orthick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, smart phones, tabletcomputers, laptops, PDAs, etc.). The broadband network access includeshigh speed network access such as 3G and/or 4G wireless and/or wired andbroadband and/or ultra-broad band (e.g., WiMAX, etc.) network access. 3.Resource pooling. Electronic medical records processing computingresources are pooled to serve multiple requesters using a multi-tenantmodel, with different physical and virtual resources dynamicallyassigned and reassigned according to electronic medical recordsprocessing demand. There is location independence in that an requesterof electronic medical records processing has no control and/or knowledgeover the exact location of the provided by the electronic medicalrecords processing resources but may be able to specify a location at ahigher level of abstraction (e.g., country, state, or data center).Examples of pooled resources include storage, processing, memory,network bandwidth, virtual server network device and virtual targetnetwork devices. 4. Rapid elasticity. Capabilities can be rapidly andelastically provisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly scaleout and rapidly released to quickly scale for electronic medical recordsprocessing. To the electronic medical records processing storage andretrievers, the electronic medical records storage and retrievalcapabilities available for provisioning appear to be unlimited and canbe used in any quantity at any time. 5. Measured Services. Cloudcomputing systems automatically control and optimize resource use byleveraging a metering capability at some level of abstractionappropriate to the type of electronic medial records processing services(e.g., storage, processing, bandwidth, custom electronic contentretrieval applications, etc.). Electronic medical records processingusage is monitored, controlled, and reported providing transparency forboth the electronic content provider and the electronic medical recordsprocessor requester of the utilized electronic medical records processorservice.

Exemplary cloud computing service models illustrated in FIG. 24 appearin Table 10. However, the present invention is not limited to theseservice models and more, fewer or other service models can also be usedto practice the invention.

TABLE 10 1. Cloud Computing Software Applications 260 for an ElectronicMedical Records Processing Service (CCSA 262). The capability to use theprovider's applications 26, 28, 30, 32, 33 running on a cloudinfrastructure 268. The cloud computing applications 262, are accessiblefrom the server network device 20 from various client devices 18 througha thin client interface such as a web browser, etc. The user does notmanage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure 264 includingnetwork, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individualapplication 26, 28, 30, 32, 33 capabilities, with the possible exceptionof limited user-specific application configuration settings. 2. Cloudcomputing Infrastructure 264 for the an Electronic Medical RecordsProcessing Service (CCI 266). The capability provided to the user is toprovision processing, storage and retrieval, networks 24, 272, 274, 276,278 and other fundamental computing resources where the consumer is ableto deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operatingsystems and applications 26, 28, 30, 32. 33 The user does not manage orcontrol the underlying cloud infrastructure 264 but has control overoperating systems, storage, deployed applications, and possibly limitedcontrol of select networking components (e.g., host firewalls, etc.). 3.Cloud Computing Platform 268 for the an Electronic Content Storage andRetrieval Service (CCP 2701). The capability provided to the user todeploy onto the cloud infrastructure 264 created or acquiredapplications created using programming languages and tools supportedservers 20, etc.. The user not manage or control the underlying cloudinfrastructure 264 including network, servers, operating systems, orstorage, but has control over the deployed applications 26, 28, 30, 32,33 and possibly application hosting environment configurations.

Exemplary cloud computing deployment models appear in Table 11. However,the present invention is not limited to these deployment models andmore, fewer or other deployment models can also be used to practice theinvention.

TABLE 11 1. Private cloud network 274. The cloud network infrastructure264 is operated solely for an electronic medical records processing. Itmay be managed by the electronic content retrieval or a third party andmay exist on premise or off premise. 2. Community cloud network 276. Thecloud network infrastructure 264 is shared by several differentorganizations and supports a specific electronic content storage andretrieval community that has shared concerns (e.g., mission, securityrequirements, policy, compliance considerations, etc.). It may bemanaged by the different organizations or a third party and may exist onpremise or off premise. 3. Public cloud network 278. The cloud networkinfrastructure 264 such as the Internet, PSTN, SATV, CATV, Internet TV,etc. is made available to the general public or a large industry groupand is owned by one or more organizations selling cloud services. 4.Hybrid cloud network 272. The cloud network infrastructure 264 is acomposition of two and/or more cloud networks 24 (e.g., private 274,community 276, and/or public 278, etc.) and/or other types of publicand/or private networks (e.g., intranets, etc.) that remain uniqueentities but are bound together by standardized or proprietarytechnology that enables data and application portability (e.g., cloudbursting for load- balancing between clouds, etc.)

Cloud software 262 for electronic content retrieval takes full advantageof the cloud paradigm by being service oriented with a focus onstatelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperabilityfor electronic content retrieval. However, cloud software services 264can include various states.

Cloud storage of desired electronic content on a cloud computing network24 includes agility, scalability, elasticity and multi-tenancy. Althougha storage foundation may be comprised of block storage or file storagesuch as that exists on conventional networks, cloud storage is typicallyexposed to requesters of desired electronic content as cloud objects.

In one exemplary embodiment, the applications 26, 28, 30, 32, 33 offerscloud services for electronic content storage and retrieval. Theapplications 28, 30, 32 offers the cloud computing Infrastructure 264,266 as a Service 62 (IaaS), including a cloud software infrastructureservice 266, the cloud Platform 268 as a Service 270 (PaaS) including acloud software platform service 270 and/or offers Specific cloudsoftware services as a Service 262 (SaaS) including a specific cloudsoftware service 262 for electronic medical records processing. TheIaaS, PaaS and SaaS include one or more of cloud services 262 comprisingnetworking, storage, server network device, virtualization, operatingsystem, middleware, run-time, data and/or application services, orplural combinations thereof, on the cloud communications network 24.

FIG. 25 is a block diagram 280 illustrating an exemplary cloud storageobject 282.

The cloud storage object 282 includes an envelope portion 284, with aheader portion 286, and a body portion 288. However, the presentinvention is not limited to such a cloud storage object 282 and othercloud storage objects and other cloud storage objects with more, feweror other portions can also be used to practice the invention.

The envelope portion 284 uses unique namespace Uniform ResourceIdentifiers (URIs) and/or Uniform Resource Names (URNs), and/or UniformResource Locators (URLs) unique across the cloud communications network24 to uniquely specify, location and version information and encodingrules used by the cloud storage object 282 across the whole cloudcommunications network 24. For more information, see IETF RFC-3305,Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs), URLs, and Uniform Resource Names(URNs), the contents of which are incorporated by reference.

The envelope portion 284 of the cloud storage object 282 is followed bya header portion 86. The header portion 286 includes extendedinformation about the cloud storage objects such as authorization and/ortransaction information, etc.

The body portion 288 includes methods 290 (i.e., a sequence ofinstructions, etc.) for using embedded application-specific data in dataelements 292. The body portion 288 typically includes only one portionof plural portions of application-specific data 292 and independent data294 so the cloud storage object 282 can provide distributed, redundantfault tolerant, security and privacy features described herein.

Cloud storage objects 282 have proven experimentally to be a highlyscalable, available and reliable layer of abstraction that alsominimizes the limitations of common file systems. Cloud storage objects282 also provide low latency and low storage and transmission costs.

Cloud storage objects 282 are comprised of many distributed resources,but function as a single storage object, are highly fault tolerantthrough redundancy and provide distribution of desired electroniccontent across public communication networks 278, and one or moreprivate networks 274, community networks 276 and hybrid networks 272 ofthe cloud communications network 24. Cloud storage objects 282 are alsohighly durable because of creation of copies of portions of desiredelectronic content across such networks 272, 274, 276, 278 of the cloudcommunications network 24. Cloud storage objects 282 includes one ormore portions of desired electronic content and can be stored on any ofthe 272, 274, 276, 278 networks of the cloud communications network 24.Cloud storage objects 82 are transparent to a requester of desiredelectronic content and are managed by cloud applications 26, 28, 30, 32,33.

In one embodiment, cloud storage objects 282 are configurable arbitraryobjects with a size up to hundreds of terabytes, each accompanied bywith a few kilobytes of metadata. Cloud objects are organized into andidentified by a unique identifier unique across the whole cloudcommunications network 24. However, the present invention is not limitedto the cloud storage objects described, and more fewer and other typesof cloud storage objects can be used to practice the invention.

Cloud storage objects 282 present a single unified namespace orobject-space and manages desired electronic content by user oradministrator-defined policies storage and retrieval policies. Cloudstorage objects includes Representational state transfer (REST), SimpleObject Access Protocol (SOAP), Lightweight Directory Access Protocol(LDAP) and/or Application Programming Interface (API) objects and/orother types of cloud storage objects. However, the present invention isnot limited to the cloud storage objects described, and more fewer andother types of cloud storage objects can be used to practice theinvention.

REST is a protocol specification that characterizes and constrainsmacro-interactions storage objects of the four components of a cloudcommunications network 24, namely origin servers, gateways, proxies andclients, without imposing limitations on the individual participants.

SOAP is a protocol specification for exchanging structured informationin the implementation of cloud services with storage objects. SOAP hasat least three major characteristics: (1) Extensibility (includingsecurity/encryption, routing, etc.); (2) Neutrality (SOAP can be usedover any transport protocol such as HTTP, SMTP or even TCP, etc.), and(3) Independence (SOAP allows for almost any programming model to beused, etc.)

LDAP is a software protocol for enabling storage and retrieval ofelectronic content and other resources such as files and devices on thecloud communications network 24. LDAP is a “lightweight” version ofDirectory Access Protocol (DAP), which is part of X.500, a standard fordirectory services in a network. LDAP may be used with X.509 securityand other security methods for secure storage and retrieval. X.509 ispublic key digital certificate standard developed as part of the X.500directory specification. X.509 is used for secure management anddistribution of digitally signed certificates across networks.

An API is a particular set of rules and specifications that softwareprograms can follow to communicate with each other. It serves as aninterface between different software programs and facilitates theirinteraction.

Automated Processing of Electronic Medical Records with Cloud Computing

FIGS. 26A and 26B are a flow diagram illustrating a Method 298 forautomated processing of electronic medical records with cloud computing.In FIG. 26A at Step 300 data from a patient encounter is collected intoa plural data fields on one or more different electronic medicaltemplates on a first application on a first network device with one ormore processors via a cloud communications network comprising: one ormore public communication networks, one or more private networks, one ormore community networks and one or more hybrid networks. At Step 302,the first application aggregates in real-time the collected patientencounter data into a plural information matrixes stored in one or morecloud storage objects. The plural information matrixes include: ahistorical information (HX) matrix, a patient examination (PX) matrix, acomplexity risk (CX) information matrix and an Evaluation and Management(E/M) summary information matrix, each with a plurality of matrixinformation fields. The plural information matrixes help eliminate anamount and complexity of patient encounter data collected and reduce anumber of diagnostic options to be considered during the patientencounter, thereby reducing a medical risk associated with making acomplex medical decision for the patient encounter and limiting anamount and complexity of patient data to be processed and reviewed. AtStep 304, the first application calculates in real-time plural matrixsummary values from the plural information matrixes. At Step 306, thefirst application calculates in real-time one or more medical andbilling codes using the calculated plural matrix summary values. In FIG.26B at Step 308, the first application generates in real-time anelectronic patient medical record with plural data fields from thecalculated plural matrix summary values and the one or more calculatedmedical and billing codes. At Step 310, the first application generatesin real-time a patient invoice for the patient encounter from thegenerated electronic medical record. At Step 312, the first applicationdisplays in real-time on the first network device via a graphical userinterface (GUI) via the cloud communications network selected ones ofthe plural data fields from the generated electronic patient medicalrecord, including complexity risk information for the patient encounterand the generated patient invoice wherein the generated electronicmedical record provides a three hundred sixty degree view of medical,billing, insurance and other information collected and generated fromthe patient encounter.

Method 298 is illustrated with one exemplary embodiment. However, thepresent invention is not limited to this embodiment and otherembodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment at in FIG. 26A at Step 300 data from apatient encounter 27 is collected into a plural data fields 40, 41,198-217 on one or more different electronic medical templates 12′, 196,208, 222, 236, 242 on a first application 26, 28, 30, 32, 33 on a firstnetwork device 18 with one or more processors via a cloud communicationsnetwork 24 comprising: one or more public communication networks 278,one or more private networks 274, one or more community networks 276 andone or more hybrid networks 272.

At Step 302, the first application 26, 28, 30, 32, 33 aggregates inreal-time the collected patient encounter data into a plural informationmatrixes stored one or more cloud storage objects 282. The pluralinformation matrixes include: a historical information (HX) matrix 124,a patient examination (PX) 126 matrix, a complexity risk (CX) 128information matrix and an Evaluation and Management (E/M) summaryinformation matrix 130, 132, each with a plurality of matrix informationfields. The plural information matrixes 124, 126, 128, 130, 132 helpeliminate an amount and complexity of patient encounter data collectedand reduce a number of diagnostic options to be considered during thepatient encounter, thereby reducing a medical risk associated withmaking a complex medical decision for the patient encounter and limitingan amount and complexity of patient data to be processed and reviewed.

In one embodiment, the first application 26, 28, 30, 32, 33 offers acloud computing Infrastructure 264 as a Service (IaaS) 266, a cloudPlatform 268 as a Service (PaaS) 270 and offers an electronic medicalrecords processing Specific cloud software service 260 as a Service(SaaS) 262 including one or more different software services 26, 28, 30,32, 33 for automated processing of medical records information. However,the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment and morefewer and other types of cloud and non-cloud services can be used topractice the invention.

In one embodiment, Step 302 further includes automatically making one ormore queries to a second application 26, 28, 30, 32, 32 on a secondnetwork device 20 with one or more processors via the cloudcommunications network 24 to obtain existing electronic medical records252 or electronic medical insurance records for the patient, if any areavailable. However, the present invention is not limited to such anembodiment and the present invention can be practiced with and/orwithout this additional query.

At Step 304, the first application 26, 28, 30, 32 calculates inreal-time plural matrix summary values (FIGS. 8-10) from the pluralinformation matrixes 124, 126, 128, 130, 132.

At Step 306, the first application calculates 26, 28, 30, 32 inreal-time one or more medical and billing codes 247 (FIGS. 11, 12, 21,Tables 4 and 5, etc.) using the calculated plural matrix summary values124, 126, 128, 130, 132.

In FIG. 26B at Step 308, the first application 26, 28, 30, 32 generatesin real-time an electronic patient medical record 252 with plural datafields from the calculated plural matrix summary values 124, 126, 128,130, 132 and the one or more calculated medical and billing codes 247.

At Step 310, the first application 26, 28, 30, 32 generates in real-timea patient invoice 75 for the patient encounter from the generatedelectronic medical record 252.

At Step 312, the first application 26, 28, 30, 32 securely displays inreal-time on the first network device 18 via a graphical user interface(GUI) via the cloud communications network 24 selected ones of theplural data fields from the generated electronic patient medical record252, including complexity risk information 247 for the patient encounterand the generated patient invoice 75 wherein the generated electronicmedical record 252 provides a three hundred sixty degree view 77, 99 ofmedical, billing, insurance and other information collected andgenerated from the patient encounter.

In one embodiment, the secure display includes using the security and/orencryption methods (e.g., WEP, DES, 3DES, AES, MD5, SSL TLS, etc.)described herein to securely display information from the patientencounter.

In all methods and systems described herein, secure sending, receiving,storage and viewing of patient information on the cloud communicationsnetwork 24 and/or non-cloud communications network 24 is necessary andis used as required under the Health Insurance Portability andAccountability Act (“HIPAA”), 42 U.S.C. 1320d, et. seq. and otherFederal and state laws enacted in the United States to protect patientprivacy.

FIG. 27 is a flow diagram illustrating a Method 312 for automatedprocessing of electronic medical records with cloud computing. At Step314, the first application securely stores the generated electronicpatient medical record from the patient encounter in a first set of oneor more cloud storage objects on the cloud communications network. AtStep 316, the first application securely stores the generated patientinvoice for the patient encounter in a second set of one or more cloudstorage objects on the cloud communications network.

Method 312 is illustrated with one exemplary embodiment. However, thepresent invention is not limited to this embodiment and otherembodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment at Step 314 the first application 26,28, 30, 32, 33 securely stores the generated electronic patient medicalrecord 252 from the patient encounter in a first set of one or morecloud storage objects 282 on the cloud communications network 24.

At Step 316, the first application 26, 28, 30, 32, 33 securely storesthe generated patient invoice 75 for the patient encounter in a secondset of one or more cloud storage objects 282′ on the cloudcommunications network 24.

FIG. 28 is a flow diagram illustrating a Method 318 for automatedprocessing of electronic medical records with cloud computing. At Step320, the first application securely sends in real-time on the firstnetwork device a location of the first set of one or more cloud storageobjects for generated electronic patient medical record and a locationof the second set of one or more cloud storage objects for the generatedpatient invoice to a second application on a server network device withone or more processors via the cloud communications network. At Step322, the second application on the server network device securelydisplays on a display component via a graphical user interface (GUI)selected ones of the plurality of data fields from the generatedelectronic patient medical record, including complexity risk informationfor the patient encounter and the generated patient invoice wherein thegenerated electronic medical record provides a three hundred-sixtydegree view of medical, billing, insurance and other informationcollected and generated from the patient encounter.

Method 318 is illustrated with one exemplary embodiment. However, thepresent invention is not limited to this embodiment and otherembodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment at Step 320, the first application 26,28, 30, 32, 33, securely sends in real-time on the first network device18 a location of the first set of one or more cloud storage objects 282for generated electronic patient medical record 252 and a location ofthe second set of one or more cloud storage objects 282′ for thegenerated patient invoice 75 to a second application 26′ 28′, 30′, 32′,33′ on a server network device 20 with one or more processors via thecloud communications network 24.

At Step 322, the second application 26′, 28′, 30′, 32′, 33′ on theserver network device 20 securely displays on a display component via agraphical user interface (GUI) selected ones of the plural data fieldsfrom the generated electronic patient medical record 252, includingcomplexity risk information 247 for the patient encounter and thegenerated patient invoice 75 wherein the generated electronic medicalrecord 252 provides a three hundred sixty degree view 77, 99 of medical,billing, insurance and other information collected and generated fromthe patient encounter.

In one embodiment, the one or more electronic medical templates includea medical practice template, electronic invoice template, electronicmedical record template, a current compliant template, a diagnosistemplate, a nurse template, a review template, and/or an insuranceprovider template. However, the present invention is not limited to theelectronic medical templates described and more, fewer or otherelectronic medical templates can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, the plural medical practice templates used withMethod 298 include an electronic medical template for pediatrics,obstetrics and gynecology, cardiology, neurology, family practicemedicine, emergency room medicine, walk-in clinics and/or or urgent careclinics. However, the present invention is not limited to the medicalpractice templates described and more, fewer or other electronic medicalpractice templates can be used to practice the invention.

In one embodiment, one or more of the medical practice templatesinclude, but are not limited to the following additional features and/ordata entry fields in addition to those describe herein above andillustrated in the figures: (1) Menopause Documentation: to enter a dateof a last menses; (2) Pregnancy Electronic Due Date Calculator (EDC):After entering the last menses in the menopause documentation field, thePregnancy EDC calculator automatically calculates the Due Date alongwith the number of weeks into the pregnancy; (3) Clinical decisionsupport bar: that includes a first color (e.g., green, yellow, etc.)that changes into a second color (e.g., red, black, etc.) when any vitalsigns (e.g., blood pressure, temperature, etc.) are out of normalranges; (4) Clinical decision support alert and action plan: (e.g., BodyMass Index out of range launching the user into plans to order specificinterventions for the patient); (5) Pharyngitis Alert: This alert is setoff when a diagnosis of Pharyngitis is recorded for a patient, but aStrep Screen has not been ordered for the patient; (6) History NotCompleted: In the event the patient is experiencing a medical emergency,this documentation field is located on both the PFSH and ROS screens124, and checking the box will provide automatic E/M coding for examelements; (7) New Condition, Workup Planned: if this field is selected,the provider is given a pop up that allows documentation of aDifferential Diagnosis; (8) Provider to Provider Notes section: Enablesprovider to record written communication note to another provider forsubsequent visits; (9) Preformatted Discharge Notes: The provider canselect user-specific preformatted discharge notes for the patient; (10)Visit Summary: Allows the provider to select the number of prior visitsthat the provider desires to view within the visit history tab byselecting the number of visits in the “Show Last _(——————) visitsummaries;” (11) Summary Notes: will show the disposition and themedications dispensed on the visits including a viewing link for anyradiographic images obtained, that will then open the patient chart andallow documentation of the diagnostic images; (12) Third Party PrimaryHistorian: If a user selects someone other than the patient as the“Primary Historian”, a practice may disable coding credit towards “DataReviewed” in complexity of medical decision making. This option can bedisabled at the practice level; (13) Electronic Signature Collection:Allows the clinic staff to check that a patient has been given thedischarge documents to the patient/guardian, and for thepatient/guardian to sign they have received them. Allows audits that thedocuments were given and the signature was received; (14) DocumentMultiple Protocols: Clinics that need to document a patient visit usingthe pre-set protocols that they have set up for an employer paidservice, can pull in up to four protocols and can document each of themin one charting session. As each protocol has been completed, withorders being entered, the protocol header tab turns green. As soon asall the protocols have been completed, the Header “Protocol” tab turnsfrom Red to Green; (15) Integration with Laboratory Services: Users areable to order labs electronically and receive the results electronicallyvia LabCorp and Quest Services; (16) Virtual Phone Encounters Thisfeature allows Users to log an encounter where a patient is notphysically in the clinic but receives a service via telephone orInternet. The Provider will be able to use ePrescribe functionality in avirtual encounter. A User can enter notes for a Virtual Encounter. Oncethe patient is registered, the user will see the patient's name listedon the Virtual Encounter row of a “Tracking Board”, and the User willhave the ability to enter in the notes of what transpired during thetelephone encounter; (17) X-ray Interface: supports sending patientinformation and x-ray orders to Radlink. A link is displayed that reads“View Image” which will launch an x-ray viewer; (18) Date of BirthNotification: A patient that visits a clinic who has either had abirthday the day prior to a visit, or if the patient has a birthdaywithin two weeks of a visit, will have a notification screen appear tonotify the user of the date of birth so the health care provider canwish the patient a Happy Birthday; (19) Clinical Quality Measures (CQM)and National Framework of Qualifications (NQF) Reports: For each of theCenters for Medicare and Medicaid meaningful use objectives with apercentage-based measure are used. Users have the ability to report thenumerators and denominators of each meaningful use measure andautomatically calculate the resultant percentage-based meaningful usemeasures for which CMS requires an eligible professional to submit atthe end of an Electronic Health Records (HER) reporting period; (20)Plots of Vitals Charts: When the patient's vitals have been entered theuser will see that the current days vitals are immediately displayed.The vitals can then be graphed in several formats including line, bar,pie chart and/or other types of graphing; (21) MedicationReconciliation: All medications entered by the clinic staff, as well asthe E-Rx prescribed medications in the patient history are displayed tocheck for harmful interactions; (22) Public Health Surveillance Queriesand Peports: In compliance with Certified Commission for HealthcareInformation Technology (CCHIT), users can electronically record, modify,retrieve, and submit syndrome-based public health surveillanceinformation in accordance with the standard (and applicableimplementation specifications) specified in CCHIT guidelines; (23)Matrix calculation and coding results reports: for a one-screen view ofmatrix scoring details, including E/M, diagnosis codes, procedurescodes, etc.; and/or (24) Multi-Colored Patient, Billing and InsuranceAlerts: A pop-up alert icon appears when a patient alert and/or a notehave been entered. The types of alerts are color coordinated: (a)Yellow—patient related notes, (b) Red—patient related alert type notes,(c) Green—billing related notes, (d) Aqua—unknown alert, and (e) DarkBlue—clinical notes. However, the present invention is not limited tothe medical practice template features and/or data entry fieldsdescribed and more, fewer or other electronic medical practice templatefeatures and/or data entry fields can be used to practice the invention.

FIG. 29 is a block diagram 324 illustrating additional components of themedical records system of FIG. 1. A secure electronic kiosk 326 isprovided to allow a patient to enter patient appointment andregistration information and preliminary patient encounter information.A secure patient encounter application 328 is provided to a clientnetwork device 330 to allow a patient to enter patient appointment andregistration information and preliminary patient encounter informationvia a network device 18 such as a smart phone, tablet, etc. A secureemployer portal 332 is provided to view services billed to an employerfor employer provided health insurance or for the workman's compensationvisits by a patient.

FIG. 30 is a flow diagram illustrating a Method 334 for automatedprocessing of electronic medical records with cloud computing. At Step336, secure electronic kiosk with one or more processors is provided incommunications with a second application on a server network device withone or more processors via the cloud communications network. At Step338, patient appointment and registration information and preliminarypatient encounter information is securely received on the electronickiosk from a patient. At Step 340, the received patient appointment andregistration information and preliminary patient encounter informationis securely sent from the electronic kiosk via the cloud communicationsnetwork to the second application on the server network device, therebyallowing the patient to enter patient appointment and registrationinformation and preliminary patient encounter information via theelectronic kiosk and making the patient appointment and registration andpreliminary patient encounter information available to the firstapplication on the first network device before an actual patientencounter occurs.

Method 334 is illustrated with one exemplary embodiment. However, thepresent invention is not limited to this embodiment and otherembodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment at Step 336, a secure electronic kiosk326 with one or more processors is provided in communications with asecond application 26′, 28′ 30′, 32′, 33′ on a server network device 20with one or more processors via the cloud communications network 24.

At Step 338, patient appointment and registration information andpreliminary patient encounter information is securely received on theelectronic kiosk 326 from a patient.

At Step 340, the received patient appointment and registrationinformation and preliminary patient encounter information is securelysent from the electronic kiosk 326 via the cloud communications network24 to the second application 26′, 28′ 30′, 32′, 33′ on the servernetwork device 20, thereby allowing the patient to enter patientappointment and registration information and preliminary patientencounter information via the electronic kiosk 326 and making thepatient appointment and registration and preliminary patient encounterinformation available to the first application 26, 28 30, 32, 33 on thefirst network device before 18 an actual patient encounter occurs.

FIG. 31 is a flow diagram illustrating a Method 342 for automatedprocessing of electronic medical records with cloud computing. At Step344, a secure patient encounter application is provided to a clientnetwork device with one or more processors from a second application ona server network device with one or more processors via the cloudcommunications network. At Step 346, patient appointment andregistration and preliminary patient encounter information is securelyreceived on the second application on the server network device via thecloud communications network from the secure patient encounterapplication on the client network device for a patient, thereby allowingthe patient to enter patient appointment and registration andpreliminary patient encounter information via the secure patientencounter application on the client network device and making thepatient appointment and registration and preliminary patient encounterinformation available to the first application on the first networkdevice before an actual patient encounter occurs. At Step 348, one ormore types of automated messages are sent to the secure patientencounter application on the client network device confirming successfulreceiving of patient appointment and registration and preliminarypatient encounter information on the second application on the servernetwork device.

Method 342 is illustrated with one exemplary embodiment. However, thepresent invention is not limited to this embodiment and otherembodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment at Step 344, a secure patient encounterapplication 328 is provided to a client network device 330 (also, 18,etc.) with one or more processors from a second application 26′, 28′,30′, 32′, 33′ on a server network device 20 with one or more processorsvia the cloud communications network 24.

At Step 346, patient appointment and registration and preliminarypatient encounter information is securely received on the secondapplication 26′, 28′, 30′, 32′, 33′ on the server network device 20 viathe cloud communications network 24 from the secure patient encounterapplication 238 on the client network device 330 for a patient, therebyallowing the patient to enter patient appointment and registration andpreliminary patient encounter information via the secure patientencounter application 238 on the client network device 330 and makingthe patient appointment and registration and preliminary patientencounter information available to the first application 26, 28, 30,32′, 33′ on the first network device 18 before an actual patientencounter occurs. Thus, any patient can enter patient appointment andregistration and preliminary patient encounter information from anylocation anywhere on the cloud communications network 24.

At Step 348, one or more types of automated messages are sent to thesecure patient encounter application 328 on the client network device330 confirming successful receiving of patient appointment andregistration and preliminary patient encounter information on the secondapplication 26′, 28′, 30′, 32′, 33′ on the server network device 20. Theautomated messages include automated text messages, instant messages,voice messages, e-mail messages, audio messages, video messages, and/orother types of messages. However, the present invention is not limitedto such an embodiment and more, fewer or other types of messages can beused to practice the invention.

FIG. 32 is a flow diagram illustrating a Method 350 for automatedprocessing of electronic medical records with cloud computing. At Step352, a secure employer portal is provided for selected patient encounterinformation via a second application on a server network device with oneor more processors via the cloud communications network. At Step 354,protocol procedures are received via the employer portal to set up aselected medical visit protocol based on employer preferences forpatient encounters for patients who are employed by the employer. AtStep 356, insurance procedures are received via the employer portalprocedures to set up one or more insurance carriers related to theemployer whereby the one or more insurance carriers will automaticallybe inserted under a payer of the patient that whose patient encounter isworkman's compensation visit. At Step 358, a view request is receivedvia the employer portal from the employer of the patient who generatedthe patient encounter a request to securely view the generatedelectronic patient medical record and the generated patient invoicegenerated from patient encounters to view services billed to theemployer for employer provided health insurance or for the workman'scompensation visits.

Method 350 is illustrated with one exemplary embodiment. However, thepresent invention is not limited to this embodiment and otherembodiments can be used to practice the invention.

In such an exemplary embodiment at Step 352 a secure employer portal 332is provided for selected patient encounter information via a secondapplication 26′, 28′, 30′, 32′, 33′ on a server network device 20 withone or more processors via the cloud communications network 24.

At Step 354, protocol procedures are received via the employer portal332 to set up a selected medical visit protocol based on employerpreferences for patient encounters for patients who are employed by theemployer.

At Step 356, insurance procedures are received via the employer portal332 procedures to set up one or more insurance carriers related to theemployer whereby the one or more insurance carriers will automaticallybe inserted under a payer of the patient that whose patient encounter isworkman's compensation visit.

At Step 358, a view request is received via the employer portal 332 fromthe employer of the patient who generated the patient encounter arequest to securely view the generated electronic patient medical record252 and the generated patient invoice 75 generated from patientencounters to view services billed to the employer for employer providedhealth insurance or for the workman's compensation visits.

The methods and system described herein help automate and reduce therisk and complexity of collecting patient encounter informationelectronically on client network devices and allow easy collection,processing and recording of medical information codes such as diagnosiscodes, billing codes, insurance codes, etc. with cloud computing.However, the present invention is not limited to cloud computingenvironments and the invention can also be practiced in a non-cloudcomputing environment. For example, the cloud storage objects can bereplaced with non-transitory computer readable mediums, etc.

In view of the wide variety of embodiments to which the principles ofthe present invention can be applied, it should be understood that theillustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken aslimiting the scope of the present invention. For example, the steps ofthe flow diagrams may be taken in sequences other than those described,and more fewer or equivalent elements may be used in the block diagrams.

The claims should not be read as limited to the described order orelements unless stated to that effect. In addition, use of the term“means” in any claim is intended to invoke 35 U.S.C. §112, paragraph 6,and any claim without the word “means” is not so intended.

Therefore, all embodiments that come within the scope and spirit of thefollowing claims and equivalents thereto are claimed as the invention.

I claim:
 1. A method for automated processing of medical information,comprising: creating on a plurality of cloud server network devices,each with one or more processors on a cloud communications network, aplurality of pooled cloud hardware resources comprising: (1) automaticprovisioning of the plurality of pooled cloud hardware resources usablein any amount at any time as needed and available via a plurality ofcloud broadband network access components on the plurality of cloudserver network devices; (2) automatic scaling of the plurality of pooledcloud hardware resources to obtain and release one or more of theplurality of pooled cloud hardware resources as required; (3) automaticcontrolling and optimizing the pooled cloud hardware resources with ametering method; (4) a plurality of cloud software services forautomated processing of medical information including a cloud Platformas a Service (PaaS), a cloud computing Infrastructure as a Service(IaaS), and plurality of available cloud Software services as a Service(SaaS) including a plurality of different software services forautomated risk reduction in processing of medical records informationafter a patient encounter, the plurality of cloud software services forautomated processing of medical information comprising: cloud networkingservices, storage services, virtualization services, operating systemservices, run-time services, data services and application servicesexecuted with the plurality of pooled cloud hardware resources;selecting from a first application on a first network device with one ormore second processors a PaaS and a IaaS provided by the plurality ofpooled cloud hardware resources on the cloud communications network;selecting from the first application a first set of SaaS cloud servicesfrom a the plurality of available cloud SaaS services for automatedelectronic medical records processing including reducing risk andreducing a number of possible diagnostic decisions when processingmedical records from the patient encounter, on a the cloudcommunications network; selecting from the first application on thefirst network device with one or more SaaS services from the selectedfirst set of SaaS cloud services a plurality of individual datastructures comprising a plurality of medical information matrixesincluding a historical information (HX) matrix, a patient examination(PX) matrix, a complexity risk (CX) information matrix and an Evaluationand Management (E/M) summary information matrix, each with a pluralityof unique matrix information fields, the plurality of individual datastructures stored in one or more cloud storage objects on the cloudcommunications network and available to the first set of SaaS couldservices selected by the first application; collecting data from thepatient encounter into a plurality of data fields on one or moredifferent electronic medical templates with one or more SaaS servicesfrom the selected first set of SaaS cloud services on the firstapplication on the first network device with the one or more processorsvia the cloud communications network; aggregating from the firstapplication with one or more SaaS services from the selected first setof SaaS cloud services in real-time only selected ones of data itemsfrom the plurality of data fields from the one or more differentelectronic medical templates storing the collected patient encounterdata into the plurality of information matrixes stored in the one ormore cloud storage objects, the plurality of information matrixesincluding: the historical information (HX) matrix, a patient examination(PX) matrix, the complexity risk (CX) information matrix and theEvaluation and Management (E/M) summary information matrix, each withthe plurality of unique matrix information fields; eliminating from thefirst with one or more SaaS services from the selected first set of SaaScloud services with the only selected ones of data items aggregated intothe plurality of information matrixes an amount and complexity of thepatient encounter data collected to be reviewed during the patientencounter; reducing from the first application with one or more SaaSservices from the selected first set of SaaS cloud services with theselected data items aggregated into the plurality of informationmatrixes a number of diagnostic options to be considered during thepatient encounter, thereby reducing a medical risk associated withmaking a complex medical decision for the patient encounter and limitingan amount and complexity of patient data to be processed and reviewedafter the patient encounter; calculating from the first application withone or more SaaS services from the selected first set of SaaS cloudservices in real-time a plurality of matrix summary values from theplurality of information matrixes; calculating from the firstapplication with one or more SaaS services from the selected first setof SaaS cloud services in real-time one or more medical and billingcodes using the calculated plurality of matrix summary values;generating from the first application with one or more SaaS servicesfrom the selected first set of SaaS cloud services in real-time anelectronic patient medical record with a plurality of data fields fromthe calculated plurality of matrix summary values and the one or morecalculated medical and billing codes; generating from the firstapplication with one or more SaaS services from the selected first setof SaaS cloud services in real-time a patient invoice for the patientencounter from the generated electronic medical record; and displayingsecurely from the first application with one or more SaaS services fromthe selected first set of SaaS cloud services in real-time on the firstnetwork device on a display component via a graphical user interface(GUI) via the cloud communications network selected ones of the pluraldata fields from the generated electronic patient medical record,including complexity risk information for the patient encounter and thegenerated patient invoice wherein the generated electronic medicalrecord provides a three hundred-sixty degree view of medical, billing,insurance and other information collected and generated from the patientencounter, wherein displaying the three hundred-sixty degree viewcomprises displaying the medical, billing, insurance and otherinformation on the GUI surrounding a patient avatar.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the one or more different electronic medical templatesincludes a plurality of electronic check-boxes including a plurality ofdifferent colors specifically selected for a specific type of medicalpractice, wherein processing the plurality of electronic check-boxesgenerates an appropriate number and type of medical diagnosis, medicalrisk and billing codes for the specific type of medical practice.
 3. Themethod of claim 2, wherein the plurality of electronic check-boxesincluding a plurality of different colors includes a plurality ofcheck-boxes in a first color and a second color, wherein the first colorbox indicates medical personal examined the patient during the patientencounter, but the patient does not have any abnormality in a body areaor body system indicated by the check-box and the second color check boxindicates the medical personal examined the patient during the patientencounter, but the patient does have one or more abnormalities in thebody area or body system indicated by the check-box.
 4. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising: storing securely from the first applicationthe generated electronic patient medical record from the patientencounter in a first set of one or more cloud storage objects on thecloud communications network; and storing securely from the firstapplication the generated patient invoice for the patient encounter in asecond set of one or more cloud storage objects on the cloudcommunications network.
 5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:sending securely from the first application in real-time on the firstnetwork device a location of the first set of one or more cloud storageobjects for generated electronic patient medical record and a locationof the second set of one or more cloud storage objects for the generatedpatient invoice to a second application on a server network device withone or more processors via the cloud communications network; displayingsecurely from the second application on the server network device on adisplay component via a graphical user interface (GUI) selected ones ofthe plurality of data fields from the generated electronic patientmedical record, including complexity risk information for the patientencounter and the generated patient invoice wherein the generatedelectronic medical record provides the three hundred-sixty degree viewof medical, billing, insurance and other information collected andgenerated from the patient encounter.
 6. The method of claim 1 whereinthe one or more different electronic medical templates include one ormore of: a medical practice template, electronic invoice template,electronic medical record template, a current compliant template, adiagnosis template, a nurse template, a review template, or an insuranceprovider template, wherein the medical practice template includes anelectronic medical template for pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology,cardiology, neurology, family practice medicine, emergency roommedicine, walk-in clinics or urgent care clinics.
 7. The method of claim6 wherein the medical practice template includes a plurality of featuresand data fields comprising: Menopause documentation, PregnancyElectronic Due Date Calculator (EDC), Clinical decision support,Clinical decision alerts and action plans, Pharyngitis alerts, Historynot completed, New condition workup planned, Provider-to-Provider notessection, Preformatted discharge notes, Visit summary notes, Third partyprimary historian notes, Electronic signature collection, Documentmultiple health protocols, Integration with laboratory services, Virtualphone encounter motes, X-ray interface, Date of birth birthdaynotification, Medicare and Medicaid reports, Clinical Quality Measures(CQM) and National Framework of Qualifications (NQF) reports, Graphicalplots of vital charts, Medication Reconciliation, Public HealthSurveillance interface, Matrix calcuation and coding results reports andqueries and multi-colored patient, insurance and billing alerts.
 8. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the one or more cloud storage objects includeone or more of: a REpresentational State Transfer (REST), Simple ObjectAccess Protocol (SOAP), or Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)cloud storage objects, portions thereof, or combinations thereof.
 9. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the one or more medical codes and billingcodes include one or more of Evaluation and Management codes (“E/Ms”)codes, Current Procedural Terminology (“CPTs”) codes, Health CareFinancing Administration Common Procedural Coding System (“HCPCS”) codesInternational Classification of Diseases 9th Edition ClinicalModification (“ICD-9”) codes, or International Classification ofDiseases 10th Edition Clinical Modification (“ICD-10”) codes.
 10. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the aggregating step further includes:automatically making one or more queries to a second application on asecond network device with one or more processors via the cloudcommunications network to obtain existing electronic medical records orelectronic medical insurance records for the patient, if any areavailable; and extracting pre-determined data values from the obtainedexisting electronic medical records or electronic medical insurancerecords comprising: extracting one or more history values from the HXinformation matrix; extracting one or more physical examination valuesfrom the PX information matrix; extracting one or more complexity riskvalues from the CX information matrix; extracting one or more patientstatus values from patient status information extracted from the patientencounter information from the HX information matrix; extracting one ormore patient demographic values from patient demographic informationextracted from the patient encounter information from the HX informationmatrix; extracting one or more diagnosis values from diagnosisinformation extracted from the patient encounter information from the CXinformation matrix; extracting one or more clinical procedure valuesfrom clinical procedure information extracted from the patient encounterinformation from the CX information matrix; extracting one or moresupply values from supply information extracted from the patientencounter information from the HX, PX and CX information matrix; andgenerating one or more medical and billing codes using the plurality ofextracted values from the one or more summary information E/Minformation matrixes.
 11. The method of claim 1 wherein the aggregatingstep further includes: aggregating into the HX information matrix aplurality of information elements stored in the one or more cloudstorage objects comprising: a chief complaint (“CC”), history of presentillness (“HPI”), past medical, family, social history information(“PFMSH”) or review of system (“ROS”) information elements; aggregatinginto the PX information matrix a plurality of information elementsstored in the one or more cloud storage objects comprising: (“PF”) examinformation for a general exam; an expanded problem focused exam(“EXPF”) a detailed exam (“DET”) or comprehensive exam (“COMP”)information elements; aggregating the CX information matrix a pluralityof information elements stored in the one or more cloud storage objectscomprising: diagnosis (“DX”) or treatment options information elementsincluding a straight forward (“SF”) diagnosis, low risk (“LOW”) numberof diagnosis, a moderate number of (“MOD”) diagnosis or a high (“HIGH”)number of diagnosis and a plurality of risk (“RISK”) informationelements including straight forward (“SF”) risk information, low risk(“LOW”) information, moderate risk (“MOD”) information or high risk(“HIGH”) information; and aggregating into one or more Evaluation andManagement (E/M) summary information matrixes stored in the one or morecloud storage objects the HX matrix summary values, the PX matrixsummary values and the CX matrix summary values for new patientencounters and established patient encounters.
 12. The method of claim 1wherein the first network device includes a personal digital/dataassistant (PDA), an electronic tablet, an Internet appliance, a mobilephone, a smart phone, an electronic gaming platform, a desktop computeror a laptop computer.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the firstnetwork device includes a wireless interface for communicating with thecloud communications network, the wireless interface comprising: an IEEE802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.15.4(ZigBee), 802.16a, 802.16g,infra data association (IrDA), Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi),wireless personal area network (WPAN), Worldwide Interoperability forMicrowave Access (WiMAX), ETSI High Performance Radio Metropolitan AreaNetwork (HIPERMAN), cellular telephone or cellular telephone datawireless interface.
 14. The method of claim 1 wherein the firstapplication on the first network device provides the cloud computingInfrastructure as a Service (IaaS), the cloud Platform as a Service(PaaS) and an electronic medical records processing Specific cloudsoftware service as a Service (SaaS) including the one or more differentsoftware services for the automated processing of medical recordsinformation on a plurality of hardware resources on the first networkdevice, wherein the plurality of hardware resources on the first networkdevice are included in the plurality of pooled cloud hardware resources.15. The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing a secureelectronic kiosk with one or more processors in communications with asecond application on a server network device with one or moreprocessors via the cloud communications network; receiving securelypatient appointment and registration information and preliminary patientencounter information on the electronic kiosk from a patient; andsecurely sending the received patient appointment and registrationinformation and preliminary patient encounter information from theelectronic kiosk via the cloud communications network to the secondapplication on the server network device, thereby allowing the patientto enter patient appointment and registration information andpreliminary patient encounter information via the electronic kiosk andmaking the patient appointment and registration and preliminary patientencounter information available to the first application on the firstnetwork device before an actual patient encounter occurs.
 16. The methodof claim 1 further comprising: providing a secure patient encounterapplication to a client network device with one or more processors froma second application on a server network device with one or moreprocessors via the cloud communications network; receiving securelypatient appointment and registration and preliminary patient encounterinformation on the second application on the server network device viathe cloud communications network from the secure patient encounterapplication on the client network device for a patient, thereby allowingthe patient to enter patient appointment and registration andpreliminary patient encounter information via the secure patientencounter application on the client network device and making thepatient appointment and registration and preliminary patient encounterinformation available to the first application on the first networkdevice before an actual patient encounter occurs; and sending one ormore types of automated messages to the secure patient encounterapplication on the client network device confirming successful receivingof patient appointment and registration and preliminary patientencounter information on the second application on the server networkdevice.
 17. The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing a secureemployer portal for selected patient encounter information via a secondapplication on a server network device with one or more processors viathe cloud communications network; receiving via the employer portalprotocol procedures to set up a selected medical visit protocol based onemployer preferences for patient encounters for patients who areemployed by the employer; receiving via the employer portal insuranceprocedures to set up one or more insurance carriers related to theemployer whereby the one or more insurance carriers will automaticallybe inserted under a payer of the patient that whose patient encounter isworkman's compensation visit; and receiving via the employer portal fromthe employer of the patient who generated the patient encounter a viewrequest to securely view the generated electronic patient medical recordand the generated patient invoice generated from patient encounter toview services billed to the employer for employer provided healthinsurance or for the workman's compensation visits.
 18. A non-transitorycomputer readable medium having stored therein a plurality ofinstructions to execute the steps of: creating on a plurality of cloudserver network devices, each with one or more processors on a cloudcommunications network, a plurality of pooled cloud hardware resourcescomprising: (1) automatic provisioning of the plurality of pooled cloudhardware resources usable in any amount at any time as needed andavailable via a plurality of cloud broadband network access componentson the plurality of cloud server network devices; (2) automatic scalingof the plurality of pooled cloud hardware resources to obtain andrelease one or more of the plurality of pooled cloud hardware resourcesas required; (3) automatic controlling and optimizing the pooled cloudhardware resources with a metering method; (4) a plurality of cloudsoftware services for automated processing of medical informationincluding a cloud Platform as a Service (PaaS), a cloud computingInfrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and plurality of available cloudSoftware services as a Service (SaaS) including a plurality of differentsoftware services for automated risk reduction in processing of medicalrecords information after a patient encounter, the plurality of cloudsoftware services for automated processing of medical informationcomprising: cloud networking services, storage services, virtualizationservices, operating system services, run-time services, data servicesand application services executed with the plurality of pooled cloudhardware resources; selecting from a first application on a firstnetwork device with one or more second processors a PaaS and a IaaSprovided by the plurality of pooled cloud hardware resources on thecloud communications network; selecting from the first application afirst set of SaaS cloud services from a the plurality of available cloudSaaS services for automated electronic medical records processingincluding reducing risk and reducing a number of possible diagnosticdecisions when processing medical records from the patient encounter, ona the cloud communications network; selecting from the first applicationon the first network device with one or more SaaS services from theselected first set of SaaS cloud services a plurality of individual datastructures comprising a plurality of medical information matrixesincluding a historical information (HX) matrix, a patient examination(PX) matrix, a complexity risk (CX) information matrix and an Evaluationand Management (E/M) summary information matrix, each with a pluralityof unique matrix information fields, the plurality of individual datastructures stored in one or more cloud storage objects on the cloudcommunications network and available to the first set of SaaS couldservices selected by the first application; collecting data from thepatient encounter into a plurality of data fields on one or moredifferent electronic medical templates with one or more SaaS servicesfrom the selected first set of SaaS cloud services on the firstapplication on the first network device with the one or more processorsvia the cloud communications network; aggregating from the firstapplication with one or more SaaS services from the selected first setof SaaS cloud services in real-time only selected ones of data itemsfrom the plurality of data fields from the one or more differentelectronic medical templates storing the collected patient encounterdata into the plurality of information matrixes stored in the one ormore cloud storage objects, the plurality of information matrixesincluding: the historical information (HX) matrix, a patient examination(PX) matrix, the complexity risk (CX) information matrix and theEvaluation and Management (E/M) summary information matrix, each withthe plurality of unique matrix information fields; eliminating from thefirst with one or more SaaS services from the selected first set of SaaScloud services with the only selected ones of data items aggregated intothe plurality of information matrixes an amount and complexity of thepatient encounter data collected to be reviewed during the patientencounter; reducing from the first application with one or more SaaSservices from the selected first set of SaaS cloud services with theselected data items aggregated into the plurality of informationmatrixes a number of diagnostic options to be considered during thepatient encounter, thereby reducing a medical risk associated withmaking a complex medical decision for the patient encounter and limitingan amount and complexity of patient data to be processed and reviewedafter the patient encounter; calculating from the first application withone or more SaaS services from the selected first set of SaaS cloudservices in real-time a plurality of matrix summary values from theplurality of information matrixes; calculating from the firstapplication with one or more SaaS services from the selected first setof SaaS cloud services in real-time one or more medical and billingcodes using the calculated plurality of matrix summary values;generating from the first application with one or more SaaS servicesfrom the selected first set of SaaS cloud services in real-time anelectronic patient medical record with a plurality of data fields fromthe calculated plurality of matrix summary values and the one or morecalculated medical and billing codes; generating from the firstapplication with one or more SaaS services from the selected first setof SaaS cloud services in real-time a patient invoice for the patientencounter from the generated electronic medical record; and displayingsecurely from the first application with one or more SaaS services fromthe selected first set of SaaS cloud services in real-time on the firstnetwork device on a display component via a graphical user interface(GUI) via the cloud communications network selected ones of the pluraldata fields from the generated electronic patient medical record,including complexity risk information for the patient encounter and thegenerated patient invoice wherein the generated electronic medicalrecord provides a three hundred-sixty degree view of medical, billing,insurance and other information collected and generated from the patientencounter, wherein displaying the three hundred-sixty degree viewcomprises displaying the medical billing, insurance and otherinformation on the GUI surrounding a patient avatar.
 19. A system forautomated processing of medical information, comprising in combination:a cloud communications network; one or more network devices configuredfor causing one or more processors on the one or more networking devicesto execute a plurality of instructions: for creating on a plurality ofcloud server network devices, each with one or more processors on acloud communications network, a plurality of pooled cloud hardwareresources comprising: (1) automatic provisioning of the plurality ofpooled cloud hardware resources usable in any amount at any time asneeded and available via a plurality of cloud broadband network accesscomponents on the plurality of cloud server network devices; (2)automatic scaling of the plurality of pooled cloud hardware resources toobtain and release one or more of the plurality of pooled cloud hardwareresources as required; (3) automatic controlling and optimizing thepooled cloud hardware resources with a metering method; (4.) a pluralityof cloud software services for automated processing of medicalinformation including a cloud Platform as a Service (PaaS), a cloudcomputing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), and plurality of availablecloud Software services as a Service (SaaS) including a plurality ofdifferent software services for automated risk reduction in processingof medical records information after a patient encounter, the pluralityof cloud software services for automated processing of medicalinformation comprising: cloud networking services, storage services,virtualization services, operating system services, run-time services,data services and application services executed with the plurality ofpooled cloud hardware resources; for selecting from a first applicationon a first network device with one or more second processors a PaaS anda IaaS provided by the plurality of pooled cloud hardware resources onthe cloud communications network; for selecting from the firstapplication a first set of SaaS cloud services from a the plurality ofavailable cloud SaaS services for automated electronic medical recordsprocessing including reducing risk and reducing a number of possiblediagnostic decisions when processing medical records from the patientencounter, on a the cloud communications network; for selecting from thefirst application on the first network device with one or more SaaSservices from the selected first set of SaaS cloud services a pluralityof individual data structures comprising a plurality of medicalinformation matrixes including a historical information (HX) matrix, apatient examination (PX) matrix, a complexity risk (CX) informationmatrix and an Evaluation and Management (E/M) summary informationmatrix, each with a plurality of unique matrix information fields, theplurality of individual data structures stored in one or more cloudstorage objects on the cloud communications network and available to thefirst set of SaaS could services selected by the first application; forcollecting data from the patient encounter into a plurality of datafields on one or more different electronic medical templates with one ormore SaaS services from the selected first set of SaaS cloud services onthe first application on the first network device with the one or moreprocessors via the cloud communications network; for aggregating fromthe first application with one or more SaaS services from the selectedfirst set of SaaS cloud services in real-time only selected ones of dataitems from the plurality of data fields from the one or more differentelectronic medical templates storing the collected patient encounterdata into the plurality of information matrixes stored in the one ormore cloud storage objects, the plurality of information matrixesincluding: the historical information (HX) matrix, a patient examination(PX) matrix, the complexity risk (CX) information matrix and theEvaluation and Management (E/M) summary information matrix, each withthe plurality of unique matrix information fields; for eliminating fromthe first with one or more SaaS services from the selected first set ofSaaS cloud services with the only selected ones of data items aggregatedinto the plurality of information matrixes an amount and complexity ofthe patient encounter data collected to be reviewed during the patientencounter; for reducing from the first application with one or more SaaSservices from the selected first set of SaaS cloud services with theselected data items aggregated into the plurality of informationmatrixes a number of diagnostic options to be considered during thepatient encounter, thereby reducing a medical risk associated withmaking a complex medical decision for the patient encounter and limitingan amount and complexity of patient data to be processed and reviewedafter the patient encounter; for calculating from the first applicationwith one or more SaaS services from the selected first set of SaaS cloudservices in real-time a plurality of matrix summary values from theplurality of information matrixes; for calculating from the firstapplication with one or more SaaS services from the selected first setof SaaS cloud services in real-time one or more medical and billingcodes using the calculated plurality of matrix summary values; forgenerating from the first application with one or more SaaS servicesfrom the selected first set of SaaS cloud services in real-time anelectronic patient medical record with a plurality of data fields fromthe calculated plurality of matrix summary values and the one or morecalculated medical and billing codes; for generating from the firstapplication with one or more SaaS services from the selected first setof SaaS cloud services in real-time a patient invoice for the patientencounter from the generated electronic medical record; and fordisplaying securely from the first application with one or more SaaSservices from the selected first set of SaaS cloud services in real-timeon the first network device on a display component via a graphical userinterface (GUI) via the cloud communications network selected ones ofthe plural data fields from the generated electronic patient medicalrecord, including complexity risk information for the patient encounterand the generated patient invoice wherein the generated electronicmedical record provides a three hundred-sixty degree view of medical,billing, insurance and other information collected and generated fromthe patient encounter, wherein displaying the three hundred-sixty degreeview comprises displaying the medical, billing, insurance and otherinformation on the GUI surrounding a patient avatar; for storingsecurely from the first application with one or more SaaS services fromthe selected first set of SaaS cloud services the generated electronicpatient medical record from the patient encounter in a first set of oneor more cloud storage objects on the cloud communications network; forstoring securely from the first application with one or more SaaSservices from the selected first set of SaaS cloud services thegenerated patient invoice for the patient encounter in a second set ofone or more cloud storage objects on the cloud communications network;for sending securely from the first application with one or more SaaSservices from the selected first set of SaaS cloud services in real-timeon the first network device a location of the first set of one or morecloud storage objects for generated electronic patient medical recordand a location of the second set of one or more cloud storage objectsfor the generated patient invoice to a second application on a servernetwork device with one or more processors via the cloud communicationsnetwork; for displaying securely from the second application on theserver network device on a display component via a second GUI, selectedones of the plurality of data fields from the generated electronicpatient medical record, including complexity risk information for thepatient encounter and the generated patient invoice wherein thegenerated electronic medical record provides a three hundred-sixtydegree view of medical, billing, insurance and other informationcollected and generated from the patient encounter; for providing asecure electronic kiosk with one or more processors thereby allowing thepatient to enter patient appointment and registration and preliminarypatient encounter information via the electronic kiosk and making thepatient appointment and registration and preliminary patient encounterinformation available to the first application on the first networkdevice before an actual patient encounter occurs; for providing a securepatient encounter application to a client network device with one ormore processors from the second application on the server network devicevia the cloud communications network, thereby allowing the patient toenter patient appointment and registration and preliminary patientencounter information via the secure patient encounter application onthe client network device and making the patient appointment andregistration and preliminary patient encounter information available tothe first application on the first network device before an actualpatient encounter occurs; for providing a secure employer portal forselected patient encounter information via the second application on theserver network device via the cloud communications network, therebyallowing an employer of patients who generate patient encounters tosecurely view the generated electronic patient medical records and thegenerated patient invoices ad to view services billed to the employerfor employer provided health insurance or for the workman's compensationvisits.
 20. The system for automated processing of medical informationof claim 19 further comprising the second application offering the cloudcomputing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), the cloud Platform as aService (PaaS) and offering the electronic medical records processingSpecific cloud software service as a Service (SaaS) including the one ormore different cloud software services for automated processing ofmedical records information collected from a the patient encounter.